St Kilda reap rewards with win over Essendon

ST KILDA      2.5   5.9  12.10 16.13    (109)
ESSENDON  1.4   4.5    7.8     9.9       (63)

GOALS St Kilda:  Bruce 5, Membrey 3,  McCartin 2,  Armitage,  Newnes, Steven, Weller, Ross, Hickey. 
Essendon: Brown 4,  Daniher 2,  Cooney, Langford,  Baguley.
BEST St Kilda: Steven, Bruce, McCartin, Ross, Membrey, Newnes, Riewoldt, Armitage.Essendon: Brown, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Merritt, Kelly, Zaharakis, Cooney, Baguley. 
UMPIRES: Mollison,  Mitchell, O'Gorman.
CROWD: 29,026 at Etihad Stadium.

Saints alive: St Kilda's Tim Membrey celebrates a goal against Essendon. Photo: Michael Dodge

The problem St Kilda discovered in Perth is when you play well and don't win, and then finally don't play well and lose horribly, the valiant losses just become losses.

They came back knowing they had to show something. They had to show they could get the wins that their combined efforts deserve. They also had to show something that would restore the idea of direction and hope.

So they removed the cotton wool from number one pick Paddy McCartin, drawing him up from the VFL, and decided now was the time for lessons to be learned in the seniors. A lesson in the forward line of tomorrow was duly delivered.

Nick Riewoldt remained for much of the match, as he has for much of the year, on a wing. On Sunday it was on the veteran playing on Brendon Goddard or Adam Cooney.

The role he used to play was being played this day by Josh Bruce. Bruce was the man doing the hard running up the ground while Tim Membrey and McCartin dd the spreading and stretching of the defence.

For the first half it didn't really work. St Kilda was still kicking the ball like they were in Perth. Jack Steven was excellent all day, and Jack Newnes, Seb Ross and David Armitage were strong around the packs but the Saints struggled to get the overlap run game going as loose links appeared through the chain.

St Kilda is one of the more punishing teams at getting a player forward over the top of pack. In the first term they managed several times to get the player loose in the forward fifty but twice their kick to space to run onto was poor and wasted the chance. The first kick from Jarryn Geary was not helped by Sam Gilbert failing to offer a shepherd and the second kick from McCartin left Membrey without enough time to move.

Essendon's backs were doing well in pressuring the ball inside 50 and with Matt Dea good again, James Kelly calm and McDonald-Tipungwuti didn't only use the ball faultlessly but he chose just the right creative option before he did.

The game was still in St Kilda's favour, and there was the sense they could easily open a big lead. But inaccuracy in front of goal hurt at critical times. 

Essendon got themselves back into the contest after Mitch Brown booted two goals, putting the frighteners on St Kilda when they closed the gap to four points.

McCartin then took a mark a smidgin outside 50 and showed a self-awareness of both his own game and his team's needs when he ignored the pleas of other marked forwards to pass it to them and decided on the long shot at goal instead. He cleared the pack by five metres.

Membrey then accepted a pass from Riewoldt for the next goal and McCartin booted the next from a sharp Roberton pass. The difference in the play was not just the forwards working together but compared to the first half St Kilda was using the ball effectively.

McCartin then had the ball from long range again and this time deceptively speared a low flat pass to Bruce that fooled all but his teammate. Bruce goaled. Membrey then climbed on a pack to show that they have forwards able to lead and mark and those who can take it in a pack when required. He goaled.

The forwards were stretching the Dons' defenders and John Worsfold was forced to switch his own full-forward Joe Daniher, who was battling to have an impact, to play behind the ball for a period in an attempt to halt the rush.

Bruce was still able to lead out on another ball and with his arms gently chopped was awarded a free kick and another goal.

The Saints had kicked seven goals for the term and every one of them was booted by one of their three key forwards. For a club wanting something to show off this was it.

The Bombers kept at it and with Zach Merritt and Adam Cooney they found some run. Mark Baguley was good forward of the ball, and Martin Gleeson earned possessions but needed to be cleaner.

In the final term Riewoldt moved forward, helping to create a goal for Mav Weller. St Kilda's captain did not kick a goal of his own, yet the Saints won. Why is this remarkable? The last time St Kilda won a game without Riewoldt contributing a goal was round 24, 2011.