St Kilda 15.8 (98) defeated Geelong 13.13 (91)
If St Kilda are to eventually emerge as a premiership threat, they know they need to find a way to match heavyweight Geelong when it comes to scoring. This was the big question heading into Saturday night’s clash between the two clubs at Marvel Stadium. Could they find a way to have scoreboard impact?
Since the start of the ’23 campaign when Ross Lyon returned for his second stint in charge, the Saints have ranked 15th for points for (77.3 per game). The Cats, meanwhile, sit at the top of the ladder (95.7 points per game) through this period which has yielded a premiership.
The Saints’ struggles are also reflected in that they are ranked 17th for scores per inside 50, the Cats ranked first in this sphere. Admittedly, the Saints made progress late last season, the Cats slightly dipping, but the storyline was largely the same.
Tough battle: St Kilda’s Darcy Wilson offloads a handball while tackled by Zach Guthrie.Credit: AFL Photos
After the Cats’ emphatic win over Fremantle last weekend, and the Saints’ poor effort in Adelaide, few gave the Saints much chance of reversing this scoring trend. But that they did – and all this without their blue-chip forward, the injured Max King, and fellow regulars Dan Butler and Cooper Sharman.
This was a night when the Saints had a relentless determination to rebound, making good on Lyon’s comments through the week that it was time “to bring the hunt”.
Their commitment to hunting the ball and the man was “elite”, said Lyon late on Saturday night, but this determination carries little weight if the method when ball in hand is not there. On this occasion, the Saints’ ability to score on the rebound, particularly noticeable from half-back, was prominent.
That they had their best opening quarter against the Cats since 2001, only the second time under Lyon in his second stint that they had managed six goals in a term, highlighted their dominance.
“That’s just an outcome of pressure, contest and use. That’s all there is – that’s just an outcome,” Lyon said.
“I think we were scoring pretty well at the back end of last year. There is still a fair bit of our front half out – Sharman, King, Butler.”
Mitch Owens may not have the height, but his attack on the ball and willingness to put himself in positions other men would not, deserves praise. He almost certainly knew in the first term when he backed into a pack that he would be crunched. That duly occurred, but ensuring advantage paid by the umpire led to Lance Collard’s maiden AFL goal.
Mason Wood made his name as a forward at North Melbourne, but has been a diligent hard-running wingman at Moorabbin. He lined up, at times, as a forward against the Cats, and had a direct hand in seven score involvements by half-time.
Patrick Dangerfield makes late contact.Credit: Fox Footy
Debutant tall Isaac Keeler, who has had to wait 844 days since the 2022 national draft to make his senior debut, showed promise inside 50, while small forward Jack Higgins, with four goals, was typically bubbly. Dare we say, a nuisance. Just ask Zach Guthrie.
“We were disappointed by how went about it last week, but we trust the process,” Higgins said.
This may not be a premiership attack, but it shows what the Saints are capable of, certainly at Marvel Stadium, where their kicking skills can be elite, Cats coach Chris Scott acknowledged post match. This result should, at least, enliven their finals aspirations.
For the Cats, they were left to wonder what might have been, had they not had a woeful first half, and still trailed by 27 points at the final change. They stormed home and, had Brad Close’ soccer goal not been reversed after a score review, which would have left them just three points behind with four minutes and change remaining, the result may have been different.
Prime mover Tom Stewart was subbed off before half-time with what Scott said was a “minor” knee injury. His absence at half-back meant the Cats were without arguably their most creative player. Jeremy Cameron had an early calf issue. He played on, largely on the wing, but lacked his usual zest. And Bailey Smith, a match winner, last week, was a late withdrawal because of a calf issue, but could yet line up against Brisbane next weekend, according to Scott.
Captain Patrick Dangerfield will face scrutiny from the match review officer for what appeared to be a slight elbow or forearm to the face of Ryan Byrnes in the third quarter. And Max Holmes was largely blanketed by master tagger Marcus Windhager in the first half, before having an influence late.
But this night belonged to the Saints, for they achieved a major goal – outscoring one of the competition’s legitimate premiership threats boasting arguably the best attack in the business.
ST KILDA 6.1 10.5 14.6 15.8 (98)
GEELONG 1.4 5.6 9.9 13.13 (91)
GOALS
St Kilda: Higgins 4, Wood 2, Windhager 2, Owens 2, Sinclair 2, Collard 2, Keeler
Geelong: Dempsey 2, Stengle 2, Clohesy 2, Neale 2, Knevitt, Holmes, Close, Cameron, Blicavs
BEST
St Kilda: Windhager, Macrae, Marshall, Higgins, Jones, Wilkie, Wood
Geelong: Blicavs, Henry, Humphries, Atkins, Guthrie, O’Sullivan
LATE CHANGES
Geelong: Bailey Smith (calf) replaced in selected side by Ted Clohesy
SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Hugo Garcia, replaced Hunter Clark in the second quarter
Geelong: Ted Clohesy, replaced Tom Stewart in the second quarter
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
