Hickey rise continues as he tightens grip on ruck mantle

It was the battle within a battle that had attracted plenty of attention in the lead in. For many, Max Gawn was in All Australian form, capable of leading Melbourne to victory with the flick of his trigger wrist. A week after dominating Richmond and Ivan Maric, Gawn was nullified by St Kilda ruckman Tom Hickey, who continued his impressive start to 2016. The Saints big man has quickly emerged as one of the most improved players inside Linen House Centre. At Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Gawn looked ominous early, palming the ball down the throat of Jack Viney a couple of times as the Demons burst out of the block. But from there, Hickey reined in the bearded beast. He stifled his usual influence around the ground and particularly in the offensive half, and halved the contest in the ruck (36 hitouts to 38). In a big test for the Queenslander, Hickey continued to tighten his grip on the No. 1 ruck mantle at the Saints. Finger by finger.

Five star Membrey another piece of forward puzzle

A renowned goal kicker at underage level in the TAC Cup and in the NEAFL where he booted more than 100 goals in two opportunity starved seasons at the Swans, Tim Membrey demonstrated that prowess on the big stage on Saturday. In his first senior appearance of 2016, and his first since returning from a shoulder reconstruction, the powerfully built, comprehensively inked, key forward wreaked havoc inside 50. After kicking two goals in the opening quarter, Membrey finished with five for the game, from eight marks (four inside 50) and appeared to look more in sync with Josh Bruce and Nick Riewoldt the longer the game wore on. Having never previously kicked more than two goals in 13 games, Membrey’s performance was undoubtedly his finest hour at AFL level and suggested he could play a pivotal role in St Kilda’s attacking transformation in the years to come. Membrey, Bruce, Paddy McCartin. Picture it.

Does a Rising Star nomination await Acres?

In a similar manner to Membrey, third-year midfielder Blake Acres produced the clear standout performance of his short career. After being omitted on two occasions already this season, Acres put his best foot forward against the Demons to suggest he can play regular senior football this season. The West Australian was one of the most influential players on the ground, collecting a career-high 28 possessions (six more than his previous best), 12 score involvements, 399 metres of gained territory and two goals. Having previously played 10 senior games prior to Round 1, the 20-year-old scrapes in for Rising Star eligibility and should be one of the main contenders for this week’s nomination on the back of his performance. Richardson praised the athletic midfielder’s dedication to his craft in his post-match press conference, suggesting the performance was a direct result of his commitment to improving his game behind closed doors.

St Kilda response leaves Richardson rapt

Following an impressive fortnight against Collingwood and Hawthorn, St Kilda let themselves down in Round 5 against Greater Western Sydney. The Giants are undoubtedly on the rise and should reach their maiden finals series this year, as their stunning 76-point win over reigning premiers Hawthorn would attest. But what drew Alan Richardson’s ire most in the aftermath was the comprehensiveness of the loss. The Saints were resoundingly beaten in most major facets of the game. So after a week of lessons, Richardson and the coaching department were most interested in how the group would respond. And against a team like Melbourne, to win the possession count (+46), contested ball (+10) and uncontested possession (+33), plus the tackle count comfortably (+15) and turn inside 50s into scores (50.9% of inside 50s – second highest for the round), pleased Richardson post-game. It was a comprehensive performance across the board, with an overflow of contribution from every line.

Riewoldt, back at it again with the inside 50 dominance

At 33, the questions will continue to pour in: Will this be Nick Riewoldt’s final season? At the current rate, you would be hard pressed not to imagine him out there again in 2017. How could he not, given his form. After six rounds, the St Kilda champion has been one of the Saints prime movers. He’s provided an option all over the ground playing from a wing and when he’s been required inside 50 he’s bobbed up and kicked goals. Once again on Saturday, Riewoldt was in the thick of the action, particularly when the game was on the line before the final stanza. The skipper finished with 3.2, taking him to 15 goals for the year (ranked 10th in the AFL), 24 possessions and 14 marks. Riewoldt continues to acquire marks better than anyone in the game; he is averaging 10.5 per game across the first six weeks, and has seven more than the next best. Expect to see his performance against the Dees rewarded with Brownlow votes too.

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