Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon’s first game against his former side, St Kilda, proved to be a successful one, with the Dockers running away with an upset win. There was a huge build up surrounding Lyon’s return to the Saints' heartland after he departed in acrimonious circumstances at the end of 2011. Lyon tried to play down the hype but there was no denying it was a date that everyone involved with St Kilda had been looking forward to - and they left Lyon in no doubt about their feelings. It was a vitally important win for the Dockers and an extremely rare victory away from home. Fremantle are virtually unbeatable at Patersons Stadium, so wins against quality opposition on the road are an absolute bonus. It wasn’t a pretty contest, with the first-half particularly riddled with skill errors and poor turnovers. The Saints looked in control of the match throughout the third quarter, but three late goals to the Dockers proved to be the difference, as they took a 14-point lead into the final term. St Kilda pushed hard in the early stages of the last quarter, but the Dockers’ speedy midfielders, led by Stephen Hill, were crucial in fighting off the comeback.

GOALS:

St Kilda: Koschitzke 3, Gilbert 2, McEvoy, Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Stanley, Cripps, Milne

Fremantle: Anthony 2, Clarke, Mayne, Mzungu 2, Crowley, Pavlich, Sandilands, De Boer, Pearce, Broughton
 


BEST - AFL.COM.AU
St Kilda: Hayes, Steven, Geary, Goddard, Koschitzke

Fremantle: Sandilands, Crowley, Barlow, Pearce, McPhee, Clarke

BEST - THE AGE
St Kilda: Hayes, Koschitzke, Dempster, Milera, Gilbert, Geary, Steven
Fremantle: Hill, Crowley, Johnson, Mzungu, Barlow, Mundy, De Boer

COACHES COMMENTS
Scott Watters (StK): I won't name individual players because they're working bloody hard but we had four different opportunities to kick goals easily. A little bit of composure and we would probably be sitting here with a different result. It's not structural, it's not technical and it's not strategy. It's finish.

Ross Lyon (Frem): It was emotionally a tough night in some ways, but at the end of the day my players are hungry to be led, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I take no joy out of beating St Kilda football club other than getting the four points

Umpires: Stevic, McInerney, Mollison