▁form ▁and ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁off - field ▁controvers ies ▁led ▁to ▁him ▁being ▁trad ed ▁to ▁St ▁K ilda ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁season , ▁having ▁played ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 2 9 ▁games ▁for ▁West ▁Coast . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁at ▁St ▁K ilda , ▁Gard iner ▁added ▁another ▁ 5 2 ▁games , ▁including ▁St ▁K ilda ' s ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁losing ▁grand ▁final ▁teams , ▁before ▁ret iring ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁season . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Gard iner ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Alb any , ▁Western ▁Australia , ▁and ▁played ▁junior ▁football ▁for ▁the ▁Roy als ▁Football ▁Club ▁ ▁before ▁heading ▁to ▁Per th ▁Western ▁Australia ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁Cla rem ont ▁Football ▁Club ▁in ▁the ▁W AF L . ▁ ▁West ▁Coast ▁E ag les ▁career ▁Gard iner ▁was ▁the ▁number ▁ 1 ▁draft ▁pick ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁National ▁D raft . ▁ ▁Gard iner ▁deb uted ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁at ▁only ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁of ▁age . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁big ▁wra ps ▁on ▁Gard iner ▁as ▁an ▁emer ging ▁r uck man / forward . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁disappoint , ▁winning ▁a ▁R ising ▁Star ▁nom ination ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁All ▁Australian ▁selection ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁However , ▁he ▁was ▁then ▁limited ▁by ▁chron ic ▁kne e ▁inj