They are the instants which together go a long way towards defining football folklore. Gabbo's run in 1964. Breen's wobbly point in 1966. Jezza's mark in 1970.

More recent epics will too be preserved in our minds in the form of such moments. Choco's choking gesture in 2004. Leaping Leo's grab in 2005, Matthew Scarlett's toe-poke in 2009.

And then there's "the bounce" of 2010.

It barely needs an introduction, but for clarity's sake, it refers to the deviant Sherrin which evaded Stephen Milne and skewed away for a minor score, levelling the 2010 decider with only a minute to play. Had the ball landed in the goalsneak's arms, St Kilda's 22 that afternoon would have been lauded forever as the chosen ones, the group that ended what was then a 47-year quest for the Saints' second premiership.

The following week, the gallant Saints were unable to front up with similar verve. After being blitzed early by Collingwood, they succumbed by 56 points.

Fast forward to today.

When St Kilda this week confirmed the absence of veteran defender Sam Fisher, it left an already depleted team without yet another senior player, and further pushed Melbourne into favouritism for their round-one clashat Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

That's right: Melbourne. You know, the team that hasn't won at Etihad since 2007. The team that hasn't triumphed in an opening round match since 2005. The team that ended last year with  eight premiership points and a percentage of 54.1

So just how do these feeble Demons enter a game against once mighty St Kilda as the more likely victors?

Well aside from the words "Paul" and "Roos", much of the answer surrounds the steady erosion of St Kilda's Grand Finalteams of 2010.

Of the team that lost the rematch, just six players have been picked for the game against Melbourne. There have been only 67 games since that first Saturday in October. The red, white and black attrition rate has been frenetic.

It is even more remarkable when one considers that not a single Saint retired after the rematch. Robert Eddy was coldly axed by Ross Lyon within weeks, only to win a reprieve through the rookie draft. Therefore every single member of the 22 made it to the starter's line in 2011.

The Saints struggled early in 2011, hamstrung by by Lenny Hayes' season-ending knee injury in round two. Lyon rallied his troops admirably, but after a brave run to the finals they were eliminated by Sydney at Etihad Stadium without ever really throwing a punch.

That's where the fun and games began.

In the rooms after the match, Lyon made the executive decision to "retire" four players: Eddy, Steven Baker, Andrew McQualter and Michael Gardiner. All four had played in the drawn grand final. (Gardiner missed the rematch through injury.)

Within days Lyon himself had departed for Fremantle amid stories of subterfuge. He would take defender Zac Dawson with him.

Scott Watters took the reigns in 2012. In its first season under the former Mick Malthouse lieutenant, St Kilda intermittently played breathtaking football only to lose a string of close games and narrowly miss out on the finals.

The demise of the vanquished from 2010 continued after the season. Jason Gram was sacked after ignorning club warnings to change his errant ways. Brett Peake barely got a look-in with Watters, and was too swiftly discarded. Then Brendon Goddard chose the lures of long-term security at Essendon - in retrospect a decision loaded with irony.

Watters misread the tea leaves and labelled the Saints a soon-to-be "juggernaut". That claim haunted him. It was soon apparent in 2013 that, rather than a reclaiming a top spot, St Kilda was on the verge of football peasantry. Wins dried up, injuries accumulated, old skeletons emerged from the closet.

By season's end the Saints were firmly in rebuild mode. Jason Blake, Stephen Milne and Justin Koschitzke bid emotional farewells on their own terms. Two months later Watters joined them, although in much less amicable circumstances.

Four more have bitten the dust before round one in 2014. For the second consecutive season Leigh Montagna will miss the opening round because of suspension. Lenny Hayes too fell foul of the match review panel. Adam Schneider and Fisher have sustained injuries.

An air of acceptance has now descdended upon Seaford (or Moorabbin or the Junction Oval or wherever St Kilda actually call home now). The Saints under Alan Richardson understand their lot. Expectations are appropriately understated.

So from that cursed 22, only Sean Dempster, James Gwilt, Clint Jones, Farren Ray, Sam Gilbert and the irrepressible Nick Riewoldt are left for Saturday night. It is an incredible turn of events which highlights just how quickly the wheel can turn in modern football.

After the Giants' ground-breaking victory last weekend, St Kilda now enters the season as wooden spoon favourites. For the five who remain from the Grand Final rematch in 2010, that haunting day must seem a lifetime ago.