Australian Football

Match Report

Two of the sides from the lower reaches of last year's ladder - St Kilda and GWS - came together at Docklands on Sunday and, in an entertaining match, the Giants were the narrow winners. The match was even in the early stages before GWS broke away in the second and third terms before withstanding a strong fightback from St Kilda to win by 11 points. 

St Kilda scored the first goal of the match through Tim Membrey, whom the Saints had recruited from Sydney in the off-season. Lachie Whitfield responded for the Giants at the seven-minute mark and the two sides traded goals for the remainder of the term, although GWS had the opportunity to score several goals, registering five behinds in that period. At the first change the Giants led 3.3 to 3.0.

Cam McCarthy kicked the first major of the second quarter, putting the Giants 12 points ahead ands GWS added a further three goals for the term to the Saints' two to lead 7.9 to 5.2 at the long break. The third quarter was a dour affair, with both sides adding 2.3 and at the last change, the Giants held a 19-point lead.

GWS extended that lead 25 points with an early last-quarter goal to Jeremy Cameron but the Saints then mounted a challenge. Membrey kicked his second for the Saints and Josh Bruce followed up with another and the margin was back to 13 points at the five-minute mark. That was reduced to just seven points after a Shane Savage goal and the momentum appeared to be with St Kilda half-way through the term. But goals to McCarthy and Dylan Shiel took the difference back out to 19 to make the game comfortable for the Giants. A second goal to Savage cut the Giants' lead to under two goals but they defended gallantly to steal home by 11 points.

Adam Treloar was a key player for the Giants, with 32 disposals and five tackles, while Whitfield (31 possessions) was also important. For the Saints, Jack Steven (27 touches and six marks) and Maverick Weller (11 tackles, 14 disposals) were excellent. 

The Giants will attempt to make it two wins in a row to start the season when they take on Melbourne at Manuka Oval next Saturday, while St Kilda will travel to the Gold Coast to face the Suns, who had an upset round-one loss to the Demons.

GOALS
St Kilda: Schneider, Bruce, Membrey, Savage 2; Riewoldt, Dunstan, Armitage 
GWS: Cameron 4; McCarthy 3; Whitfield, Ward, Treloar, Palmer, Shiel

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St Kilda: Steven, Weller, Geary, Roberton, Montagna
GWS: Treloar, Ward, Cameron, Whitfield, Mumford, Shiel, Haynes

INJURIES
St Kilda: Riewoldt (neck)
GWS: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Jack Sinclair replaced Dylan Roberton in the third term
GWS: Stephen Coniglio replaced Tom Scully in the fourth quarter

UMPIRES: Harris, Ryan, Mitchell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Sandy Roberts, Jason Dunstall, Danny Frawley, Barry Hall