Australian Football

Match Report

St Kilda's slim hopes of playing finals in 2016 evaporated at Docklands on Saturday night as Sydney put the Saints to the sword in the second half of their Saturday-night match to record a crushing 70-point win. The match looked to be anybody's at the long break, with the Swans only ahead by five points, St Kilda having matched it with them throughout the first half, but the third and fourth quarters saw Sydney play some of its best footy of the season. The Swans outscored the Saints eight goals to two in the third term and almost repeated the does in the final quarter, adding another seven goals to two to run out easy winners and remain well in the hunt for a top-of-the-ladder finish.

Paddy McCartin, playing his first match for six weeks, got the Saints off to a great start with a goal in the second minute of the match but an answering goal from Xavier Richards a couple of minutes later levelled the score and paved the way for a free-flowing first term. Kieran Jack marked and goaled to give the Swans the lead but majors to David Armitage and Tim Membrey had St Kilda ahead by five points after 12 minutes. The rest of the quarter was goal of goal, Lance Franklin's first answered by Saint Mav Weller's first, and Dan Hannebery's first also responded to by a first to Nathan Wright, giving St Kilda a five-point quarter-time lead. 

The Swans took the initiative early in the second term, and goals to Xavier Richards and Sam Naismith had them leading by five points after eight minutes. St Kilda turned things around over the next five minutes with a goal to Sean Dempster bring the Saints to within a point and then two misses to Blake Acres putting them ahead by that margin. Paddy McCartin then chipped in with a mark and his second goal to extend the lead to seven but the next two majors went Sydney's way and it was the Swans ahead narrowly at the half. 

After the long break the game took on a completely different complexion, the Swans completely dominating the first 12 minutes and making it count on the scoreboard as Isaac Heeney, Tom Papley, Luke Parker, Toby Nankervis and Franklin all kicking goals as Sydney suddenly led by 34 points. Acres gave the Saints brief respite with a goal at the 13-minute mark but the Swans closed out the quarter by kicking three of the next four goals, two more going to Franklin, to lead by 41 points at three-quarter time. 

Any thoughts of a last-quarter comeback were put aside as soon as the last quarter began with a lovely snap from Josh Kennedy extending Sydney's margin to 47 points. Jack Newnes managed to kick the next major for St Kilda but the Swans went into overdrive after that, holding the Saints scoreless over the next 15 minutes while George Hewett, Papley, Franklin, Jarrad McVeigh and Parker all added goals as the lead blew out beyond 70 points. After a couple of behinds from the Saints, Richards kicked his third before a mark and consolation goal to St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt cut the final margin to 70 points, the Swans recording an emphatic victory. 

Franklin played one of his best games since going the Swans, collecting 28 possessions, the equal most of his career, to go with his six goals. For the vanquished, veteran Leigh Montagna (27 touches, six tackles) played a fine game.

Sydney will give itself every chance of finishing at the top of the ladder off it can defeat North Melbourne in Hobart and Richmond at home in its last two home and away games. While the Saints top-eight chances have now passed them by, they will be looking to finish off the year on a high note, and wins against Richmond and Brisbane would see them finish ahead of the ledger with 12 wins and 10 losses. 

GOALS
St Kilda: McCartin 2, Membrey, Riewoldt, Gresham, Weller, Acres, Wright, Montagna, Newnes, Dempster
Sydney Swans: Franklin 6, Papley 3, Parker 3, X.Richards 3, Heeney, Jack, Hannebery, Naismith, Nankervis, Kennedy, Hewitt, McVeigh

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
St Kilda: Montagna, Riewoldt, Acres, Armitage, Weller, Newnes
Sydney: Franklin, Parker, Hannebery, Kennedy, Lloyd, Mills, McVeigh

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
St Kilda: Acres, Armitage, Ross, Steven
Sydney: Franklin, Parker, Kennedy, Hannebery, Mills, Lloyd

INJURIES
St Kilda: Hickey (left ankle), Fisher (jaw and hamstring), McKenzie was a late replacement for Geary (back)
Sydney: Nil

UMPIRES: Nicholls, Schmitt, Fleer

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Cameron Ling