Justin Koschitzke Biography

Justin Koschitzke has lashed out at his ex-coach Scott Watters for starting him as the substitute in the forward's final game last year.

Koschitzke, who was also playing his 200th match, said he was offended after being forced to wear the green vest in the final-round clash against Fremantle.

"I'm running through the banner for my 200th, I don't need to be wearing 'the Kermit suit', do I?" Koschitzke told Off the Bench.

"I had sort of been warned, but I'm thinking 'surely not'.

"It's my last game. We're playing Freo. They're not bringing their good side over. I've been here for 13 years, surely I start?"

When asked if he had been offended by Watters' decision to start him as the sub, Koschitzke said "A little bit, yeah".

So much so that Koschitzke refused to wear the vest when he ran through the banner at the start of the match.

"I put a tracksuit top over it (the green vest) to warm up, went back down to the rooms, tried to take it off, and our match day manager came over and told me I had to wear it.

"So then we walk out into the race, my lovely wife was sitting there with my son Jack ... it was a pretty big day for the Saints.

"Before I grabbed Jack, I took it off and just threw it in the race and went through the banner," Koschitzke said.

Justin Koschitzke is set to play for Lavington in the Ovens and Murray League in 2014, reuniting with several old friends including Lavington captain Kade Stevens.

Justin Koschitzke says he is fit enough to play against Fremantle what will be his 200th and possibly final game at AFL level.

"I've done the rehab diligently and everything has come to a point where I'm fit enough to play AFL footy again," he said.

"I've been training for a couple of weeks so that was always the goal to get back and be competitive."

Farren Ray says St Kilda should give Justin Koschitzke a chance to play his 200th game before the end of the season.

"Anyone who plays 199 games for a club is going to be a popular bloke in the group and he has come through with a great group of guys," Ray said.

"He has been a stalwart for the club and I definitely think he will get it (the 200th game) in the next two or three weeks."

After kicking 12 goals in five games, Tom Lee credits his improved form to his mentor Justin Koschitzke whom he says will make a fine coach one day.

"He's a bloke who enjoys helping and mentoring young players and it's just been a good result that I'm in the same position," Lee said.

"He's played the game for so long and he knows the ins and outs.

"His wealth of knowledge is massive and if he wanted to take the path he would make a very good coach one day."

After doubts were raised about his playing future, Justin Koschitzke looks set to reach the 200 game milestone.

"[Koschitzke] did a pretty good job last week on the back of some good form at Sandringham. I thought he played his role really well," St Kilda coach Scott Watters said.

"He'll play again this week and it gets him to 199 and a game closer to reaching a pretty significant milestone.

"Only four per cent of players play 200 games so it looks like we're going to be able to get him there."

Justin Koschitzke says a two-match suspension for his off-the-ball hit on Collingwood youngster Jamie Elliott does not mean his career is over as suggested by media experts including former Essendon skipper Matthew Lloyd.

"I'm by no means done as a lot of people out there are jumping to some conclusions and saying," Koschitzke said.

"I've still got the year to go, we're still very young in the year and other people are going to get their chance.

"I'll be working pretty hard to get back out there and put the red, white and black on again and finish the year off on a positive note."

Justin Koschitzke needs three matches to reach 200 games once he serves his 2-game suspension, but St Kilda coach Scott Watters says the milestone will not be a factor in his decision on whether to recall him.

"The focuses are pretty simple for 'Kosi' – get yourself fit, get yourself in good form and fight your way back into the team. They're the issues he needs to address," Watters said.

"Do your penance, go back, play well, put your hand up for selection. That's the simple formula."

An incident involving St Kilda's Justin Koschitzke that left Magpie Jamie Elliott dazed during the second quarter of their round 6 clash at Etihad Stadium drew an angry response from sidelined Magpie Dayne Beams via Twitter.

"Fairly weak that by Justin Koschitzke," Beams tweeted before deleting his tweet.

St Kilda coach Scott Watters says unrestricted free agent Justin Koschitzke is a required player at the Saints..

"He offers really good leadership," Watters told Melbourne radio station 1116 SEN.

"We've got some young key forwards - Rhys Stanley and Jay Lever - who are coming through, and the work that 'Kosi' has done behind the scenes with Rhys this year … he won't get a lot of plaudits for that from the outside, but internally he's done a great job.

Justin Koschitzke says he is pleased to find some consistency with the senior team this year.

"I think probably just the consistency and work rate I've been able to put out has been a lot better. I don't want to mozz myself but I've missed only one game and that was through suspension," he said.

"The body has been really good this year after a good pre-season. I've been happy with my output, being able to support the other forwards and support Benny McEvoy in the ruck and put in some solid performances. It has been a successful year."

Saint Justin Koschitzke was forced to undergo some unusual punishment during the week including catching the train and washing car windows during the week after giving away a 50m penalty against Gold Coast and spinning the club's wheel of misfortune.

"All I'll say is part of our mantra has actually been to re-engage the community and it's terrific that Justin has been washing cars and using public transport, I think that's fantastic," St Kilda coach Scott Watters explained.

"We have some minor internal penalties that occur. You know on a Monday or a Tuesday the players on three or four occasions, if they're unfortunate [enough] to be on the back end of that they've got to spin the wheel."

Nick Dal Santo, Justin Koschitzke and Leigh Montagna have been made life members of St Kilda, an honour awarded to players who have played at least 150 games and spent 10 years at the club.

Justin Koschitzke is looking forward to a big 2012 after a pre-season where he didn't miss a running or footy session.

"It's the old cliché, but to prepare well and have a great pre-season holds you in good stead for the season and it is true," Koschitzke said.

"I wasn't even running at this time last year and to have all this under my belt is really exciting and [something] to feel fresh about."

The Herald Sun reports that Justin Koschitzke had secret brain scans in the lead-up to him missing Saturday's match against Fremantle.

"He had some scans last week and the scan showed he was in exactly the same position he was in six years ago when he had a scan," Saints football manager Greg Hutchison said.

"It means there is no long-term damage likely to happen. The scan showed his cognitive awareness, or his cognitive state, is as it was on his previous scan, and he was extremely relieved on that."

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon urges critics to back off Justin Koschitzke, describing the pressure faced by the forward as 'ridiculous'.

"I wish I could control how much outside pressure people want to put on him. To be talking about draft picks 10 years later I think is fanciful and ridiculous. Even during the pre-season, the ridiculous amount of pressure he was put under about his NAB Cup performance is unfair," Lyon said.

"Again, we can't control it. I wish it would go away but it's not and he is a part of the St Kilda family."

Lenny Hayes says Justin Koschitzke's return from suspension will strengthen St Kilda this weekend, particularly up forward where they are missing their injured captain Nick Riewoldt.

"We're obviously crying out for a tall target down there. We tried a few different things last week, and a few worked, but Kosi's a great player for us," Hayes said.

"I think every time he's been there, and Rooey (Riewoldt) has been out with injury, he's really taken that role on and played really well for us."

Ross Lyon says the club will cop a three-match ban on big man Justin Koschitzke for his hit on Sydney's Nick Malceski.

St Kilda forward Justin Koschitzke has been offered three weeks for engaging in rough conduct against Swan Nick Malceski.

Nick Riewoldt says Matt Maguire is in contention to play his long-awaited 100th match against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night after suspensions to Justin Koschitzke and Zac Dawson.

"We'll have training and look at the way we want to structure the team and how the Bulldogs are going to structure up and make a decision from there, but he's a definite a chance for this week," Riewoldt said.

St Kilda forward Justin Koschitzke has accepted a one-match ban, but defender Zac Dawson will contest his rough conduct charge.

Key Saints Justin Koschitzke and Zac Dawson are charged by the match review panel after physical clash with Crows.

Koschitzke was charged with striking Adelaide's Richard Douglas in Sunday's game, while Dawson was charged for a rough conduct offence against Crow Brad Symes.

St Kilda forward Justin Koschitzke believes the Saints side that won its 11th consecutive game on Saturday is much more advanced than the team that claimed 10 in a row in 2004.

"I think we're a more rounded, disciplined side now," he told afl.com.au.

"The core group is a little bit older, a little more mature, and while this new record doesn't really mean a lot, it's a good platform to build off."

Nick Riewoldt believes he and Justin Koschitzke are only now beginning to combine to full effect; a scary thought for St Kilda?s opponents.

"In the past one of the problems we've had in both being up there is flying a lot together and almost killing each other on occasions," Riewoldt said.

"We are getting more and more cohesive up there and working together. We want to be a team that has got a lot of strings to our bow.

"Providing everyone is doing their job and contributing it doesn't really matter who is kicking goals. I thought Kosi was great today."

Justin Koschitzke will sit out Friday night's match against Port Adelaide due to a minor hamstring strain, but coach Ross Lyon says the Saints must cover the loss of key personnel.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon confirmed forward Justin Koschitzke would be sent for scans on his left hamstring on Sunday.

St Kilda could yet have valuable twin towers Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke back in action before Round 1.

Justin Koschitzke's perfect pre-season took a frustrating twist yesterday when he suffered an ankle injury at training.