Eli Templeton of the Saints is congratulated by teammates after kicking his first AFL goal. Source: Getty Images
THE pre-match fascination surrounded which team would cover its soft spot better: St Kilda with its undermanned midfield or Melbourne with its threadbare forward line.
They were significant challenges for new coaches Alan Richardson and Paul Roos. But the way the game panned out, they were perhaps less significant factors than disposal efficiency and decision making.
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In a scrappy match littered with errors, St Kilda took its chances better than the Demons.
The Saints produced the match-defining burst midway through the third term when they kicked four goals in six minutes, two of them from marks and set shots to Nick Riewoldt.
Nick Riewoldt celebrates a goal. Source: News Corp Australia
The Saints skipper began the match well with six disposals in the opening term, but was able to exert his influence on the match over the final three terms, aided by an injury to his direct opponent Tom McDonald, who laboured through the rest of the match.
While Riewoldt held together the Saints forward line, Melbourne had to rely on running midfielders to score. Not surprisingly Melbourne struggled to find a forward who presented as a target, particularly with Jeremy Howe well held by Sam Gilbert.
Alex Georgiou of the Demons is tackled by Josh Saunders. Source: Getty Images
St Kilda’s mantra during the week had been that whoever played in the midfield would get the job done, and so it proved. David Armitage, Farren Ray and Jarryn Geary all started in the centre square and cracked in to give the Saints the first clearance. The Saints would win the clearance count 40-30. Tom Hickey controlled the ruck contests and was useful around the ground.
Melbourne Demons head coach fronts the media after the Demons 68-51 loss to St Kilda, stating he knows the side will take a lot longer to be their best
But the most influential Saints was one-time tagger Clinton Jones, who used his pace to break the lines and take on the game.
During the pre-season new St Kilda coach Alan Richardson spoke of his team’s struggles to clear the ball from its defensive 50, and that was evident early in the match. The Demons’ first four scoring shots — including the game’s opening two goals — all came from lamentable turnovers coming out of the backline.
Paul Roos barks his instructions. Source: News Corp Australia
But as the game wore on the Saints found more system and looked more composed. The return of veterans Lenny Hayes and Leigh Montagna will further help that cause.
Melbourne, which had looked an improved outfit in the pre-season under Roos, was disappointing, and not just because it was sloppy in its use of the ball. At times its bigger-bodied players were shaded in the physicality and desperation stakes by less seasoned Saints.
The Roos influence was clear to see in the Demons’ game style, with the players prepared to flip handballs out of traffic until they found a clear man at the back of the pack who was well positioned to use the ball. They were also prepared to switch the ball often to work it out of the backline.
Nick Riewwoldt is hugged by Josh Saunders and Eli Templeton after a goal. Source: News Corp Australia
Nathan Jones won a lot of the ball but still struggled to have an impact, while Bernie Vince and Dom Tyson look like they will be useful acquisitions. But perhaps because they were thinking so much about how to play the game, there seemed few Demons prepared to take the game on. Jack Watts was one who tried on occasions.
The loss of tall forward-second ruckman Jack Fitzpatrick did not help their cause, but in the end they looked like they were simply outplayed by a team who wanted it more.
VOTES
3 Jones (StK)
2 Riewoldt (StK)
1 Dunstan (StK)
BEST:
St Kilda: Jones, Riewoldt, Dunstan, Hickey, Ray, Curren, Dempster.
Melbourne: Tyson, N Jones, Vince, Watts, Grimes.
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