St Kilda might have fallen short of a return to September, but Alan Richardson’s men still produced a handful of exceptional performances in 2017 to indicate that the future is bright for the red, white and black.

Consistency continued to be an issue for St Kilda this year, but when the Saints were at their best they were capable of beating any team in the competition.

saints.com.au has identified St Kilda’s four best performances of the season:

Round 16 v Richmond at Etihad Stadium

You had to see it to believe it, it was that good. In the second edition of Maddie’s Match, St Kilda produced the most dominant half of football seen so far in 2017. On a massive night for him and his family, Nick Riewoldt got the ball rolling and helped lead the Saints to an 82-point lead by the main break, which peaked at 95-points in the third quarter. And while the Tigers clawed their back somewhat in the second half, the damage had already been inflicted by then. Tim Membrey did most of the damage with five goals, while Riewoldt chipped in with three and reduced the impact of superstar defender Alex Rance. Seb Ross and Jack Steven ran riot through the midfield, collecting 33 disposals each, while Leigh Montagna finished with 31 for the night.

Round 7 v Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium

St Kilda hunted and claimed the big scalp they were seeking in their first Friday night game in over two years. With many predicting Greater Western Sydney would go on to great things this year, many didn’t give the Saints a chance in Round 7. And it was the Giants who made the better start, leading at every change except the one that counts, after the Saints stormed home in the last quarter to snap an 11-game losing streak under the Friday night lights. Alan Richardson’s men booted 10 of the last 13 games to put the competition on notice early in the season. To make the performance even more impressive, the win wasn’t on the back of three or four standing tall, it was a collective effort, particularly in the midfield against one of the best engine rooms in the AFL.

Round 6 v Hawthorn at University of Tasmania Stadium

On a day where Nick Riewoldt booted his 700th goal, St Kilda accomplished their interstate mission down in the apple isle. Having not won on foreign soil in 10 attempts, the Saints dominated Hawthorn at their York Park fortress, ending the Hawks’ 19-game winning streak at the ground. Staring down the barrel of a 2-4 start, St Kilda evened the win-loss ledger with a brilliant performance in Launceston. After leading by four goals at the main break, the Saints piled on eight goals to one in a dominant third quarter to carve out a 75-point win. Jack Steven won the Silk Miller Medal after collecting 36 disposals, while midfield recruits Koby Stevens and Jack Steele both made an impact and Riewoldt finished with four majors back in the state where he grew up.

Round 15 v Fremantle at Domain Stadium

Two last gasp goals from Josh Bruce helped lead St Kilda to gutsy win over Fremantle in Perth in Round 15. While Dockers star Michael Walters was by far the most dominant player on the ground, booting six goals from the midfield, a persistent Saints side stayed with the Western Australian’s throughout the encounter before clinching their second road win for 2017. Seb Ross and Koby Stevens were instrumental in the midfield battle, while Jack Steele accumulated an equal club record of 17 tackles and Jade Gresham chipped in with three goals to keep the Saints on track for a return to September.