ST KILDA trails Geelong by 46 points at half-time in their match at Simmonds Stadium.

At the main break Geelong 12.5 (77) leads St Kilda  5.1 (31).

Already the contest has two casualties, with Geelong’s Dawson Simpson stretchered off at the beginning of the second term, and James Gwilt subbed off ten minutes before half-time with what appeared to be a knee complaint.

St Kilda began promisingly, booting three of the first four goals of the game. Tom Lee was especially dominant in the first term, forming a dangerous alliance with Nick Riewoldt who also kicked an early major.

Lee marked and goaled for the Saints first two scoring shots, but his goals were quickly cancelled out at the other end by Andrew Mackie and Tom Hawkins.

Despite Taylor Hunt’s close marking, Jack Steven got off to a flyer, collecting 12 disposals in the first term and a further 10 in the second. He was well supported in the Saints engine room by Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna.

While the good start was refreshing given last week’s first quarter, it was imperative that St Kilda held its nerve in the second term.

Scott Watters’ men defended sturdily without troubling the scorers for the first half of the quarter, but Steven Motlop was proving a handful up forward, likewise Tom Hawkins.

Podsiadly and Hawkins both had influential second terms, and the Saints undersized backline will need to find a way to cope with these two power forwards in the second half.

You can follow Tom Morris on Twitter: @tommorris32