Australian Football

Match Report

St Kilda has recorded its sixth win for season 2015, easily accounting for Melbourne at the MCG in Sunday's twilight match. The Saints jumped away to a 20-point lead at quarter-time, withstood a second-quarter fightback from the Demons, and the ran away with the game in the second half to win comfortably by 37 points. With a 6-10 record, St Kilda has exceeded the expectations of most this season, with most pundits predicting a wooden spoon for the club and some even suggesting the Saints wouldn't win a game.

The game had an inauspicious beginning, with the two sides mustering only five behinds between them in the first 10 minutes. Nathan Jones finally broke the drought with a goal to give Melbourne a five-point lead, but that was to be their last goal of the term as St Kilda clicked into gear and scored the next four goals through Luke Dustan, Nick Riewoldt, Shane Savage and Jack Sinclair to lead by 20 points at the first break.

It was déjà vu in the second term as only behinds were registered in the first 17 minutes, four to Melbourne and three to St Kilda. Chris Dawes gave the crowd something to cheer about with a goal at the 17-minute mark and another to Dom Tyson four minutes later meant that the Demons were within seven points at half time.

The Saints cranked things up in the third term, and goals to Riewoldt and Jack Lonie extended the Saints' lead to 18 points. Jesse Hogan gave the Demons brief hope with a goal at the 15-minute mark, but St Kilda then racked up three in a row through Riewoldt, Paddy McCartin and Dustan to leave the Demons 31 points adrift. Jeff Garlett pulled one back for Melbourne but the Saints closed out the term with a goal to Jack Newness and led by 29 points at the last change of ends.

A defensive slog ensued in the last term, neither side scoring a goal until the 18-minute mark. Josh Bruce kicked a major for the Saints after that, with Melbourne's Max Gawn responding soon after. Only one further goal was scored to St Kilda's Maverick Weller and the Saints coasted to victory.

Riewoldt (13 marks, three goals) and Sean Dempster (10 marks, 23 possessions) were among the best for the Saints while Melbourne was well served by Jack Viney (31 possessions) and Jack Grimes (28 touches). 

The Saints will look for win number seven against Port at the Adelaide Oval next Sunday while Melbourne will take on Collingwood at the MCG a day earlier.

GOALS
Melbourne: N Jones, Dawes, Tyson, Hogan, Garlett, Gawn
St Kilda: Riewoldt 3; Dunstan 2; Savage, Sinclair, Lonie, McCartin, Newnes, Bruce, Weller

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: Viney, Grimes, Cross, Vince, Watts, Howe
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Roberton, Gilbert, Geary, Dempster, Fisher, Montagna

BEST - THE AGE
Melbourne: Viney, Grimes, Jones, Gawn, Savage
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Dempster, Gilbert, Dunstan, Steven, Schneider, Roberton, Webster

INJURIES 
Melbourne: McDonald (left eye)
St Kilda: Armitage (shin), Webster (ribs)

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Viv Michie replaced Aaron vandenBerg in the third quarter.
St Kilda: Eli Templeton replaced Hugh Goddard at three-quarter time.

UMPIRES: Rosebury, Mollison, Wallace

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Hamish McLachlan, Basil Zempilas, Leigh Matthews, Nick Maxwell