The midfielder has been in stunning form in recent weeks, averaging over 35 possessions per game since round five. And although he’s content with his individual contribution, he’d much rather get less of the ball and celebrate a win.
“Look I’m going ok,” Montagna told SAINTS.com.au following Saturday afternoon’s game.
“But there’s no conciliation and no satisfaction in playing well when you get beaten like that so I take no real pride in a performance like that, especially as a leader.”
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On a gloomy day for the Saints, the 30-year-old was the shining light, amassing a game-high 12 clearances and laying seven tackles.Although the on-ball brigade of Jack Steven, Lenny Hayes and Montagna fought hard in the clinches, matching it with Hawthorn for most of the day, it was the clinical ball use around the ground that proved the difference.
“It was just on the outside they just ran ragged and had free players all day yeah we couldn’t find them from the start of the game to the finish of the game,” Montagna said.
The 218-gamer isn’t new to these hardships, having spent the first two years of his career playing in a St Kilda side that closely resembled the young group present at the club now.
It’s a comparison Montagna is prepared to make, given the outstanding period that followed, culminating in three Grand Finals in 2009 and 2010.
"I was just talking to Rooey then,” he said.
“We had a couple of hidings back in 2002 and 2003 when we first started playing as well and got beaten by 120 points by Geelong one day. You certainly can learn from it buy yeah it’s not a nice feeling.”
Montagna was named St Kilda’s best afield for the second straight game on Saturday and was awarded the Silk-Miller medal.
