Captain Jack leads the way

Jack Steven was at it again on Sunday afternoon. This time, with the captaincy responsibility bestowed on him, he led from the front, producing another masterclass to help St Kilda respond after a week of intense scrutiny. Despite close attention from Carlton tagger Ed Curnow and a band of Blues who harassed the dual Trevor Barker Winner at every available opportunity, Steven burnt them all. He didn’t collect an enormous amount of leather, but he didn’t have to. His disposals were worth their weight in gold. 14 of his 25 possessions were counted as score involvements, including a massive six goal assists, to go with three goals of his own. Tom Hickey, David Armitage, Seb Ross and Luke Dunstan looked for the speedy midfielder around stoppages and when Steven got the ball in his hands he left everyone else suffocating on his fumes. With 767 metres gained, nine tackles and ten inside 50s, it was a complete performance by one of the competitions premier onballers. Surely the All Australian selectors are starting to take note of the game breaking midfielder, surely.

Midfield bounces back with a bang

A week after being left embarrassed at the hands of Adelaide on their glittering home deck, St Kilda’s ferocious pressure and endeavour from the outset left Alan Richardson beaming post-game. A merciless Crows outfit put the Saints to the sword last week, but on a picturesque winter’s day in Melbourne, it was St Kilda’s turn to put away an opposition. Whilst Carlton acquired plenty of possession behind the ball, as Kade Simpson and Sam Docherty played keepings off at times, St Kilda dominated the midfield duel. On the back of Hickey’s ruck dominance, and the work of Ross, Steven and Dunstan in tight, St Kilda easily won the inside 50 count (+16), and through a thirst for the contest, the Saints smashed the Blues for tackles (+27) and won clearances (+4). As they say, a week’s a long time in football.

Five star Membrey just keeps kicking goals

Josh Bruce was last year’s surprise packet; this year it appears to be Tim Membrey. After looking elsewhere for greener pastures two years ago, and finding a new home at St Kilda, the former opportunity starved Swan has made a massive impact since coming into the senior side in Round 5. On a perfect day for a leading forward, Membrey booted 5.1 from ten marks and 17 possessions, taking his tally to 20.10 from just seven games this season. With the Saints wasting much of their opening term dominance, Membrey bobbed up late in time-on to kick two goals in two minutes to spark a second and third quarter onslaught at Etihad Stadium. With no Nick Riewoldt and no Paddy McCartin, Membrey thrived on the additional responsibility and was also the beneficiary of some pristine supply from Steven on the burst. A renowned goal kicker at underage level and in the NEAFL during his two seasons in the harbour city, Membrey is now getting it done at AFL level, and on a regular basis. From his seven starts, he has two bags of five and three hauls of three. Not bad numbers for someone who wasn’t a lock in the Richardson’s best 22 at the start of the year.

Is Tom Hickey the most improved player at St Kilda? 

Speaking of players who weren’t considered a permanent fixture at the start of the season, Tom Hickey has gone from strength to strength across the first nine holes, entering the midway point of the season as the clubhouse leader, in terms of ruckmen at the Saints. Much like his side, Hickey’s form has swung up and down like a pendulum, but his best has been unstoppable. Opposed to Carlton star Matthew Kreuzer on Sunday, Hickey dominated the duel, producing one of his most influential performances yet. It wasn’t his pure numbers that shone, rather how pivotal his work was around the ball. His destructive tap work paved the way for Steven, Ross, Dunstan, David Armitage to get the ball moving the Saints’ way. And then when the ball hit the deck, Hickey’s follow up was so good that only one of the game’s premier extractors in Patrick Cripps (10 clearances) had more clearances than Hickey’s seven. Continuity is crucial in football, and for Hickey, playing 12 games in succession – the longest streak in his 54-game career – has been the key behind his sustained excellence this season.

Turning for home full of optimism

Sitting at 5-7 at the midway point of the season, it’s not difficult see that the Saints have made progress in Alan Richardson’s third season at the helm. Another two wins will eclipse the Saints best ledger under the experienced mentor’s guidance, but more important than an accumulation of wins is the spike in improvement made by a handful of the Saints third to sixth-year players. Think Tom Hickey. Think Seb Ross. Add Jack Newnes, Luke Dunstan and Jimmy Webster to that mix. Plus Tim Membrey. It’s a youthful nucleus that is quickly reducing the reliance on the clubs stalwarts to generate wins. Whilst dismal performances on the road against West Coast and Adelaide have taken some of the shine off St Kilda’s start to the year, including gallant efforts against Hawthorn and North Melbourne, no one can deny the fact the Saints are on the rise. With Riewoldt and McCartin set to return after the bye, and a handful of players banging down the door in the VFL, St Kilda is well placed for the second half of 2016.