1. Seconds, please
The taste of four points last week left the Saints wanting more.
And although it didn’t come in the most flattering of ways following an opening half riddled with errors, the red, white and black were able to get a second helping by the end of the night.
There were times it looked like the opportunity would pass the Saints by.
WATCH: Brett Ratten reviews Round 19
Melbourne drew first blood with three rapid-fire goals to open proceedings, before consecutive goals in the first two minutes of the final term evaporated St Kilda’s slender lead when the game hung in the balance.
Music to our ears. #AFLSaintsDees #withstkilda pic.twitter.com/vA7XCXm2P6
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) July 27, 2019
But the Saints turned it around in the second half, restricting Melbourne’s entries forward and gaining ascendancy around the stoppages to wrestle back control and secure their eighth win of the season.
READ: Saints down Demons
In Ratten’s two weeks as caretaker coach, the Saints have notched up back-to-back wins and have surpassed 100 points.
And with momentum on their side, the Saints will be intent on getting another taste of victory in next Saturday’s clash against Adelaide.
Good things do come in threes after all.
2. Super Seb
There’s leading by example, and then there’s Seb Ross’s performance on Saturday night.
Since assuming captaincy duties, Ross has put in the hard yards, with his strong leadership and confidence growing in tandem with his increasing influence on the contest.
While his raw numbers have been down over the past month, his commitment to the team has never wavered.
WATCH: Sensational Seb puts on a clinic
And if his first touch against the Dees was anything to go by, the No. 6 was in for a big evening.
A fabulous snap from the forward pocket got the ball rolling, and Ross barely slowed down from that point on.
Seb Ross threads the needle for our first! pic.twitter.com/8kkvFnhhjy
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) July 27, 2019
His massive final quarter was indicative of his performance, with 10 disposals and two clearances capping off an innately classy outing.
His stats by the final siren simply speak for themselves.
31 possessions (15 contested), two goals, nine tackles, nine insisde-50s, six clearances and 12 score involvements painted the picture, with Ross unanimously taking out best-on-ground honours.
Seb Ross evades Melbourne's James Harmes.
But the stand-in skipper was quick to deflect such praise, instead highlighting the efforts of several emerging Saints including Hunter Clark, Nick Coffield, Callum Wilkie and Jade Gresham which were just as pivotal in the victory.
And while they too were fantastic throughout the course of the evening, their captain most definitely showed the way.
3. Big forwards fire
It may not be as catchy as ‘Jimmy and Timmy’, but ‘Baroose and Skunk’ is a combination just as delightful when all cylinders are firing.
And everything was certainly clicking on Saturday night, with the duo combining for seven goals, nine marks and 12 score involvements to be major players in the Saints’ victory.
Josh Bruce kicked the bulk of the load with four majors, slotting a goal in each quarter to help the Saints pull away from the Dees in the second half.
The No. 27’s last two goals may have edged the Saints in front, but his output across the afternoon was just as enjoyable as he continuously cannoned into packs and competed aggressively in the air.
Tim Membrey on the other hand dealt his scoreboard damage in one massive hit, putting through three goals in the space of eight minutes in the third term.
His flurry of goals sparked the Saints on following an ineffectual second term, with the red, white and black uniting for a massive five-goal final quarter to run away with the four points.
Skunk with the crumb! pic.twitter.com/l9LnEieCRW
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) July 27, 2019
4. Saints mids on song
Seb Ross was certainly the standout through the midfield, but it was by no means a one-man show.
Several Saints put their hands up, with each pitching in to hand the Saints the win.
Jack Steele was prolific in his battle against Clayton Oliver, nullifying the midfield beast all the while racking up 22 disposals and a game-high 36 pressure acts and 12 tackles of his own.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: All the best moments from Saturday's win
Steele’s presence was certainly felt, as too was Jade Gresham’s.
The No. 4 was particularly lively with a career-best 31 disposals and eight clearances, with his flair and dynamic passages of play hinting at the direction the 21-year-old is headed.
The midfield brigade didn’t end there.
View this post on InstagramA massive shout-out to the red, white and black army who turned out last night. That was for you
Jack Sinclair was impressive along the wings with 26 disposals and eight score involvements, Blake Acres chalked up nine tackles and 15 disposals at 86% efficiency, while Dunstan was once again bullish through the middle with six clearances and eight tackles.
St Kilda were particularly dominant around the stoppages, edging the Dees out 28-19 (38-31 total clearances) and having the upper hand in the contested possessions (142-133) and tackles (79-63).
5. Emerging Saints continue to tick the boxes
They feature every week as a key talking point, but for good reason.
St Kilda’s up and coming brigade were once again showing positive signs against Melbourne, highlighting their growth not only this season, but across the past few weeks.
Hunter Clark notched up 23 touches (eight contested), six tackles and five score involvements to again showcase his raw talent and cement himself as a key figure in the Saints’ line-up.
He may not have got everything right at times, but his hardness to the contest was unquestionable; his desperate gather amid a pack of Demons in the final term gifting the Saints a clutch goal.
Fellow draftee and housemate Nick Coffield played in a similar vein to Clark, contributing to some handy moments in defence with a game-high nine marks, while Doulton Langlands (14 disposals) had a notable first half with 11 touches and a goal.
NICK HIND IS UP AND ABOUT!#AFLSaintsDees pic.twitter.com/rfvRsYz9dp
— AFL (@AFL) July 27, 2019
Ben Long booted two goals in his return game, with his stunning snap in the last term reminiscent of his game-changing goal against Greater Western Sydney last season.
Nick Hind (14 disposals) was a gem up forward with his handy two-step and flashes of speed helping seal the game, while Callum Wilkie’s (15 disposals, seven intercepts) confidence has continued to manifest in his incredible debut season.
