Australian Football

Match Report

St Kilda has defeated GWS to record its second win in the opening two rounds of 2014 and stave off the pre-season "doomsayers", at least for the time-being.

In a highly entertaining encounter, both teams opened brightly and the goals flowed freely in the early stages of the match. Shane Mumford's superior ruck work gave the GWS midfielders great service and Jonathan Giles, Lachie Whitfield and Devon Smith were taking full advantage with goals up forward. But the Saints, bolstered by the return of veteran midfielders Lenny Hayes and Leigh Montagna from suspension, were doing plenty of attacking of there own, and a five-goal-to-four quarter saw St Kilda with a narrow lead at the first break.

The free-flowing play continued into the second term with GWS gradually getting on top. With Giles and Smith dominating, the Giants kicked five goals to three, a captain's effort from Nick Rieweoldt keeping the Saints within eight points at the long interval.

It was the Giants who made all the running in the early stages of the third term. St Kilda's avenues to goal dried up virtually completely and while scoring also became more difficult at the other end, the Giants managed goals through Mumford and Smith and held a 20-point lead just before the quarter entered time on. But a goal to Sean Dempster at the 19-minute mark sparked a St Kilda burst that seemed to come from nowhere. The Saints' run returned and within the space of another five minutes, a goal to young mop-head Eli Templeton was followed by two captain's goals to Riewoldt and the Saints had turned the game on its head and taken the lead within the blink of an eye.

Taking a five-point lead into the last term, the Saints made the early running and another goal to Riewoldt was followed by a major which came as a result of youngsters Templeton and Luke Dunstan combining, giving St Kilda a seemingly comfortable 16-point lead. GWS, however, refused to lie down. The Giants had finished strongly in round one to overrun the Swans and goals to Giles and Smith cut the margin back to four points. The last 18 minutes of the match was an arm-wrestle. The Giants attacked repeatedly but St Kilda' defensive held firm. Several GWS behinds saw the lead cut back to a solitary behind but Templeton ran onto a loose ball at the 23-minute mark and goaled to give the Saints a seven-point buffer, one which they managed to protect for the remaining seven minutes of the match.

The win takes St Kilda to a 2-0 start and, while both victories have been against sides not expected to travel well in 2014, there are plenty of positive signs for the Saints. They will be fully tested next Saturday night when they take on the rampaging Eagles in Perth. The Giants will be disappointed to have let that game slip but they too can take plenty of positives out of that game and will be confident of defeating Melbourne at home next Sunday.

GOALS
St. Kilda: Riewoldt 5; Hickey 3; Templeton 2; Armitage, Montagna, Dempster, Ray, Dunstan
GWS: Smith 5; Giles 4; Townsend, Whitfield, Mumford, Cameron

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
St. Kilda: Riewoldt, Hickey, Armitage, Ray, Hayes, Templeton
GWS: Mumford, Giles, Ward, Smith, Coniglio

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
St. Kilda: Riewoldt, Armitage, Jones, Hickey, Ray, Montagna
GWS: Mumford, Smith, Ward, Greene, Giles

SUBSTITUTES
St. Kilda: Dylan Roberton replaced by Shane Savage in the third quarter.
GWS: Jacob Townsend replaced by Josh Kelly in the third quarter.

UMPIRES: Wenn, Findlay, Armstrong

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Brad Johnson, Cameron Mooney