St Kilda has extended its stunning unblemished sequence against Melbourne to 14 wins in a row, following Sunday’s convincing 30-point win at Etihad Stadium.
Alan Richardson’s side overcame a slow start under the roof, before clicking into gear in the second quarter where the Saints booted five goals to zero to open the game open.
Two goals inside the opening five minutes of the third quarter created a 27-point buffer, before five more behinds without another major in the term threatened to sting St Kilda as the Demons worked their way back into the game.
With two teams charting an upward trajectory at the same time, following several seasons trapped in the games dungeons, Sunday’s encounter was always going to be frenetic, after all there was more to play for than ladder positions would suggest.
The final term appeared that way early, with the opening goal coming from Max Gawn to reduce the Saints lead to under a goal. But that was as close as the game would get, as St Kilda grabbed control, registering 12 of the last 13 scores, including five of the final six goals to coast to a 15.20 (110) to 11.8 (74) win.
In the highly anticipated duel with the premier ruckman in the competition Gawn, Tom Hickey rose to the occasion, limiting the All Australian contenders influence, while inflicting plenty of damage himself.
Moving like a midfielder around the ground, and using the ball with finesse, Hickey played a crucial role, accumulating a career-high disposal count of 21, to complement an impressive day in the ruck where he had 27 hitouts and four clearances.
Spearhead Tim Membrey continues to grow in stature by the week. Much like Josh Bruce in 2015, the heavily cartooned forward has added another dimension to St Kilda’s forward setup in 2016. Again on Sunday he stole the show inside 50, and he could have done even more had he not hit the post twice in the third quarter.
For the seventh time in 11 games this season, Membrey accumulated more than two goals, with his 4.2 bringing his tally to 32 for the year at an elite average of 2.9 per outing. He plucked ten marks, including six inside the arc in a dominant display by the former Swan.
St Kilda’s brand of football is built from pressure; Mav Weller epitomises this mantra. Like a never ending battery, the Saints leader harasses the opposition like his spot in Alan Richardson’s side depends on it. He led the way again inside 50, and finished with three goals of his own in arguably his best game of the season.
In his first senior game since being dropped after the disastrous trip to Adelaide in Round 11, Jack Billings reminded the football landscape how much potential he has. The 2013 No. 3 pick started like a house on fire, with his astute decision making and clean disposal standing out in a high pressure affair.
Billings finished with 18 possession and moved with grace across the ground, putting to bed any concern regarding the state of his ankle. With Jade Gresham emerging as a classy option during his absence from the senior side, the pair forward of the ball loom as an exciting combination for the Saints going forward.
In defence, Sean Dempster anc Jarryn Geary limited the influence of Jesse Hogan and Jeff Garlett, while Leigh Montagna provided plenty of drive coming off half-back.
At 8-8, St Kilda continues its ascension under third-year coach Richardson. Next on the menu is the Western Bulldogs who travelled to far north Queensland on the weekend.
ST KILDA 3.3 8.6 10.12 15.20 (110)
MELBOURNE 6.2 6.5 9.7 11.8 (74)
GOALS
St Kilda: Membrey 4, Weller 3, Geary 2, Montagna, Bruce, Riewoldt, Weller, Roberton, Dunstan
Melbourne: Petracca 2, Garlett 2, Gawn 2, Watts, vandenBerg, Hogan, Viney, Kennedy
BEST
St Kilda: Hickey, Weller, Membrey, Steven, Montagna, Ross, Montagna, Geary.
Official crowd: 25,322 at Etihad Stadium
