Adelaide has rained on St Kilda’s parade after it pipped the premiership favourites last week, overcoming the visitors by 32 points in a slippery slog at Adelaide Oval.
As the rain tumbled down and only intensified just prior to half-time at Adelaide Oval, the scoring conversely dried up, however the Crows’ late breakthrough via Billy Dowling, substitute Riley Thilthorpe (two goals) and Josh Rachele was enough to nudge them over the line 10.11 (71) to 5.9 (39).
St Kilda looked primed to grind their way back into the contest after Mattaes Phillipou nailed a long-range major on the run which skidded through the goal-line to shrink the deficit to a point after a goalless 23 minutes to open the third term, however struggled to lock the ball inside its forward half from that point on as the Crows kicked away.
Rory Laird and Sam Berry were prolific in the Crows’ clearance comeuppance (54-46) after trailing in the stat at the main change, combining for 14 clearances and 25 tackles between them to break the Saints’ back.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (29 disposals, 648 metres gained) provided some much-needed finesse for the Saints and helped gain crucial territory in the rain-soaked game, while leaders Rowan Marshall (47 hit-outs, 20 disposals) and Jack Steele (19 disposals, nine tackles) toiled hard to give their side opportunity.
SAINTS MATCH CENTRE: View all news, stats and videos from Round 18
The Saints started brightly with a brace of goals to Cooper Sharman (two) and Mason Wood (two), however only mustered the one goal through Phillipou after that point as the home side bagged seven of the next eight in the wet.
Both sides missed gettable chances both weather-affected and otherwise, yet the Saints’ inability to pin the ball in their forward half, retain possession and — compounded by unclean entries — score readily opened the door for Adelaide.
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01:09
RD18 | Mattaes backs up strong midfield momentum
Watch the best bits of Mattaes Phillipou from Round 18 against the Crows.
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00:37
RD18 | Marshall slogs it out in soaked SA
Re-watch some of Rowan Marshall's highlights from Saturday's match against the Adelaide Crows.
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01:55
RD18 | All the goals v Adelaide
Re-watch every goal from our Round 18 match-up against Adelaide.
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05:58
RD18 | 'They locked us in': Lyon post-game
Watch St Kilda’s press conference after round 18’s match against Adelaide.
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Press Conference -
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00:51
RD18 | Phillipou’s wet-weather stunner defies logic
Mattaes Phillipou roars after delivering a sensational goal from the boundary in super tough conditions.
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00:38
RD18 | Wood works wonders with soccer finish
Mason Wood lands a clever goal on the volley to give the Saints a solid start on the road.
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02:17
Mason's Mail! Wandering Wood gets the inside scoop
Mason Wood takes the mic to get the latest inside goss as the Saints prepare to travel to Adelaide.
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07:32
Lyon aiming to become a 'high trust team', continue strong form
Hear from Ross Lyon as he prepares for the Crows on Saturday night.
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Press Conference
Darcy Fogarty kickstarted the run much to Ross Lyon’s frustration, whose phone in the coaches’ box received a lashing as a result, before Dowling's major (the first time the game had reached a double-digit margin) initiated four-goal final quarter to all but solidified the result.
ADELAIDE 2.1 5.5 6.10 10.11 (71)
ST KILDA 3.3 4.7 5.8 5.9 (39)
GOALS
Adelaide: Sholl 2, Thilthorpe 2, Murphy, Keays, Himmelberg, Fogarty, Dowling, Rachele
St Kilda: Sharman 2, Wood 2, Phillipou
BEST
Adelaide: Laird, Berry, Dawson, Sholl, O'Brien, Keays,
St Kilda: Marshall, Wanganeen-Milera, Phillipou, Steele, Sharman, Wilkie
INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
St Kilda: Battle (leg)
SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Riley Thilthorpe replaced Elliott Himmelberg at three-quarter time
St Kilda: Ben Paton replaced Riley Bonner (tactical) at three-quarter time
CROWD
34,549 at Adelaide Oval
