Tony Lockett had many goalkicking hauls of more than five, but none were more crucial than the five he booted against Melbourne on a day of Antarctic weather at the MCG in 1992.

It was the 23rd round of a 24-game season and with St Kilda scheduled for a bye the following week it was the last chance to keep the Saints’ finals hopes alive.  For much of the day it seemed like the Saints would be washed away with the incessant rain which lashed the 'G.

Between them, the two sides could manage just 14 goals for the afternoon, four of those coming to Lockett in the final term. Melbourne had managed just a goal in the first half before changing tactics and electing to kick the ball at all costs, rather than handball. Neither of the Demon key forwards Darren Bennett and Allen Jakovich could handle the conditions in the first half but Melbourne adopted the logic that if the ball was lobbed into attack often enough the goals would come. And they did.

A four-goal third quarter in which Todd Viney, Garry Lyon and Glenn Lovett lifted was almost a barrage in the conditions. St Kilda’s prime movers had been shot down and they trailed by two points at the final change. That extended to nine points when Andy Lovell booted another for the home side four minutes into the final term.

As the group were about to go to their places, Lockett gathered them together with a brief speech to the effect that if they got the ball down to him he would do the rest.

“I do remember that because Tony usually didn’t usually say that much,” recalls Mick Dwyer.

“We were on a bit of a run at the back end of ’92 and Tony saw the opportunity that was there. I reckon that year was a missed opportunity. Those top sides like West Coast, Hawthorn and Collingwood, we had knocked them off at Waverley and obviously we then beat Collingwood in the finals.

"Those sorts of days didn’t worry me. I actually enjoyed playing on the top of the ground, but in the heavier conditions I seemed to get through it OK, I wasn’t lightning quick and once I started having trouble with my knees I start edging backwards at a rapid pace, speed wise!”

Suddenly Mick Dwyer, Robert Harvey and Nicky Winmar regained the ascendancy of earlier in the day and Brett Bowey, coming off the bench, and Nathan Burke chipped in as well.

But it would have counted for nothing if not for Lockett. Up until then he had scored just a solitary goal back in the first term, but suddenly he cut loose with two goals in as many minutes. Five minutes later he broke away from Sean Wight and juggled a superb one-handed mark under pressure from a phalanx of Demon defenders, and duly converted.

His last goal was a classic as he led into the pocket and marked Robert Harvey’s wobbly pass just inside the boundary line. After trying to con the umpire into giving him a better angle he was directed back to a position hard up against the fence. It didn’t trouble him as ran around and kicked the goal.

That deflated the Demons.

Lockett was the hero, but Danny Frawley was also a critical part of the win as he took on the unfamiliar role of centre half-forward after Stewart Loewe had been a late withdrawal. He was a mighty warhorse all day long as he bullocked a passage for more fleet-footed teammates.

St Kilda had to sit through a nervy Sunday the following week.

“I remember that. I had gone up to Broken Hill for a Saturday night function, with Bomba (Sheldon), Nicky (Winmar), Tony (Lockett) and Danny (Frawley). We went up there with one of the sponsors.

“Deep down we thought that West Coast would beat Carlton on the Sunday, but you never know for sure.”

When Carlton went down to the Eagles, the Saints were confirmed as a finalist.

ST KILDA  1.3  3.6  4.9  8.10 (58)
MELBOURNE  0.2  1.3  5.5  6.7 (43)

GOALS
Lockett 5, Fletcher, Harvey, Ralphsmith

BEST
Winmar, Dwyer, Lockett, Frawley, Ralphsmith, Shanahan, Harvey.