Australian Football

Match Report

After the first eight games of round 14 had provided an upset win by Hawthorn over Adelaide and four thrilling matches decided by three points or less, fans could have been forgiven for hoping the final match between St Kilda and Gold Coast would provided one of those options, either an upset or a thriller, but it was not to be. Instead those who had at least hoped to witness some magic from Gary Ablett in his 300th match were denied, with the 'Little Master' a late withdrawal with a calf injury.

The match itself failed to reach any great heights, but that would not have worried the Saints too much, who eked out an important if not overly impressive win over the Suns, the final margin of 31 points being just enough for them to maintain a place in the top eight, just ahead of the Western Bulldogs on percentage. 

From a goal-kicking point of view, the match got off to a slow start with St Kilda scoring three behinds to the Suns' two before the Saints finally got a major on board with a goal to Jack Newnes at the nine-minute mark. They added a second goal through Tim Membrey after he was paid a free kick but Gold Coast hit back with David Swallow booting his first half way through the term. The Suns got on a bit of a roll from there, with Adam Saad and Peter Wright kicking majors to give them the lead but St Kilda took the lead back when Membrey kicked his second at the 24-minute mark. The Suns hit back though, and a late goal to Darcy MacPherson, playing his first game of 2017, saw them leading by two points at quarter time.

Gold Coast had a chance to extend its lead early in the second term but Swallow, aiming for his second goal, missed, and soon after Jack Sinclair was more accurate at the other end, restoring a three-point lead to the Saints. That didn't last long, with Wright's second putting the Suns back in front, but the lead changed hands again when Jack Lonie kicked his first. Matt Shaw put Gold Coast back in front, and then Jarryd Lyons followed up with another goal to extend the Suns' lead to nine points. The Saints began to get on top from there, though, and two goals to Nick Riewoldt, followed by another to Jack Billings had the home side ahead by 12 points at the half.

St Kilda increased its lead to three goals when Newnes kicked his second at the three-minute mark of the third term but the game degenerated as a spectacle from there until time on, both sides squandering chances in front of goal before Maverick Weller finally broke the drought at the 21-minute mark to kick St Kilda's 10th goal and extend the lead to 22 points. Four minutes later, Sean Lemmens squeezed through the Suns' only goal of the term, the margin 17 points at the final change. 

The Saints got a lucky break early in the final term when a down-field free kick was paid to Nick Riewoldt, who goaled to put his team 23 points clear. The Suns then made a bit of a game of it, with goals to Brayden Florin and Jarrod Witts seeing them back within two goals, but St Kilda settled from there, and consecutive goals to Josh Bruce, Jake Carlisle and Luke Dunstan took the margin beyond five goals. The game petered out from there, neither side kicking another major as the Saints coasted to a comfortable win.

Jack Billings continued his fine season, collecting 30 disposals and eight marks, while Koby Stevens (15 tackles, 21 touches) also played a fine game for the Saints. Gold Coast's best include Jarrod Harbrow (11 marks, 29 disposals) and Jarryd Lyons (26 possessions and a goal).

Eighth on the ladder with a 7-6 record, the Saints will travel to Perth next Sunday to take on Fremantle (12th, 6-7) at Subiaco. The Suns, who remain in 14th place, will host North Melbourne at Carrara in Saturday's twilight game.

GOALS
St. Kilda: Riewoldt 3; Membrey, Newnes 2; Bruce, Weller, Billings, Lonie, Carlisle, Dunstan, Sinclair
Gold Coast: Wright 2; Lemmens, Shaw, Swallow, Witts, Fiorini, Lyons, MacPherson, Saad

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
St. Kilda: Billings, Newnes, Roberton, Ross, Geary, Sinclair
Gold Coast: Lyons, Harbrow, Thompson, Hanley, Miller

BEST - THE AGE
St. Kilda: Billings, Steven, Sinclair, Roberton, Montagna
Gold Coast: Harbrow, Martin, Miller, Lyons, Fiorini

INJURIES
St. Kilda: Nil
Gold Coast: Hanley (left hamstring)

UMPIRES: Gavine, Nicholls, Hosking

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Alastair Lynch, Jonathan Brown, Ben Dixon