FORMER Saint Justin Koschitzke has taken aim at ex-coach Scott Watters for making him substitute in his farewell game last year.

Koschitzke said he was so upset with having to wear the green vest in his final and 200th AFL game last year that he refused to wear it as he ran through the banner with his son.

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“Before I grabbed Jack (in the race), I said bugger this, and I threw it off and went through the banner,” Koschitzke said on SEN’s Off The Bench.

“I wasn’t putting up with that.”

media_camera Justin Koschitzke and his son before his final game.

Koschitzke said Watters’ penchant for notifying players of late changes only 45 minutes before the game started annoyed the players and upset their preparation.

One of St Kilda’s favourite sons, Koschitzke said even though he was underdone for his farewell game because of persistent calf trouble, he would have preferred to start the emotional milestone match against Fremantle on the field.

The injury-prone goalkicker said he believed Watters had to be swayed by others at the club to give him one last senior appearance.

He played five games in his final season in 2013.

“I had sort of half been warned (about the vest), but I thought ‘surely not’,” Koschitzke said.

“It’s my last game. Freo was not bringing their good side over. I’ve been here for 13 years, surely I start.

media_camera Justin Koschitzke celebrates what he thought was a goal — it shaved the post.

“I’m running through the banner for my 200th, I don’t need to be wearing the Kermit suit do I?”

Asked if he was offended by the senior coach’s call, Koschitzke said “A little bit, yeah”.

“I wasn’t really fit, I was coming back from a calf (injury) and hadn’t played footy in eight weeks or whatever but it was my last game,” he said.

Koschitzke kicked four behinds in the emotional send-off, which was a 71-point win over the Dockers at Etihad Stadium.

Watters was replaced by Alan Richardson as Saints’ senior coach at the end of last season. The final year of Watters’ contract was paid out by the club.

Koschitzke said Watters’ frustrated players by telling players of late changes in the final hour before the game.

media_camera Justin Koschitzke hugs close friend and former teammate Nick Riewoldt after his final game.

“I reckon you need to know 24 hours out that you are playing a game,” Koschitzke said.

“(The) Previous coach that I had for the last two years would always make a late change, like it was some sort of big secret.

“There would be three blokes being emergency and he would tell them 45 (minutes) out from the game.

“It must annoy the fans and it annoyed the players. He chucked me the green vest in my last jumper, rapt with that I was (not).

“I wasn’t a fan of wearing the green vest in my last game.

“It was poor. It was hard for the boys to prepare like that and it was no secret, I don’t think there’s nothing to be gained tactically from that. Especially when you are second last (on the ladder).”