MELBOURNE 6.3 Â 9.6 Â 10.9 Â 14.12 (96)
ST KILDA 1.1 Â 4.4 Â 8.11 Â 10.12 (72)
GOALS -Â Melbourne: J Harmes 3 C Pedersen 2 J Melksham 2 M Hannan 2 A Neal-Bullen D Tyson J Garlett J Viney M Gawn. St Kilda: J Sinclair 2 L Dunstan 2 T Membrey 2 J Billings J Bruce J Webster M Weller.
BEST -Â Melbourne: Jones, Pedersen, Brayshaw, Harmes, Oliver, Lewis, Hibberd
St Kilda: Longer, Roberton, Billings, Steele, Savage, Geary
Umpires: Shaun Ryan, Ray Chamberlain, Andrew Stephens.
Official Crowd: 53,115 at MCG.
There was a worrying collision of heads at the MCG on Sunday afternoon, but the Demons landed the real knockout blow, their victory over St Kilda all but snuffing out the Saints' hopes of a fairytale ending for veterans Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna.
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Melbourne is back in the AFL top eight after a 96-72 victory over St Kilda at the MCG.
Here was Angus Brayshaw, in Melbourne's senior side for the first time since round two after another season plagued by concussion, colliding with Saint Koby Stevens as they chased a loose ball midway through the first quarter. Their heads bounced off each other like marbles. Surely not again? Well, one of them was done for the day, but it wasn't Brayshaw. Rather than seeing stars, he starred in red and blue.
Comeback kid Brayshaw was a revelation, but it was Melbourne's experienced heads who helped haul the side over the line. As was the case three weeks ago against Port Adelaide, Melbourne had this game in the bag, then nearly let it slip, and had to win it again.
Just shy of seven goals down deep into the second quarter, the Saints - knowing the desperation of their situation - worked their way back to trim the gap to just four points when Tim Membrey goaled early in the last quarter. But when cool heads were needed late, the Saints' ball use, which had been their undoing in the first half, let them down once more going forward. Down the other end, Dees forwards Jeff Garlett and Mitch Hannan - both barely sighted for three quarters - got going, with Garlett finishing nicely on the run to steady the ship before a pair of sublime set shots from Hannan sealed the deal, moving the Demons, sans the injured Jesse Hogan and omitted Jack Watts, within touching distance of their first final in 11 often painful years.
Journeyman Cam Pedersen was a tower of strength both in the forward line and pinch-hitting in the ruck, while Jordan Lewis led by example, putting his body on the line in a final quarter contest with Saint Jade Gresham, and co-captain Nathan Jones, probably the most deserving Demon of all, was tireless in the midfield.
The opening major was soft. After seven goalless minutes of ferocious action, Saint Blake Acres ventured too close to Jack Viney, who was taking a free kick, the Demons co-captain gifted a goal from the resultant 50 metre penalty. After that the floodgates opened. Brimming with confidence, Melbourne attacked with purpose and found a tall St Kilda backline unable to withstand the heat.
The standout for the Demons was James Harmes, who played a quarter of rare brilliance. He kicked three goals, the first after making a stepladder of Jake Carlisle, the second a crisp snap and the third on the run after a neat baulk. Melbourne kicked six goals in total for the term. They had an abundance of impressive performers, but the Saints had too many struggling. Without the regular leads of Riewoldt, watching with Montagna from the sidelines, they lacked direction, and their execution was diabolical, with a helicopter from Sam Gilbert, a miscued floater from Luke Dunstan and a hurried Josh Bruce handball to no one among the lowlights.
The margin was 32 points at quarter-time, extended to 40 at the 22 minute mark of the second quarter, although the Saints had at least managed to get it back to 32 at the long change.
Membrey put through the first goal of the half, but Grehsam missed a regulation set shot, and when Jake Melksham drilled a long-range goal approaching the 13 minute mark of the third term, the break was back beyond five goals, just as many as the Saints had kicked to that point.
However Billy Longer wrested control of the ruck duel with Max Gawn, and the Saints were winning the lion's share of contested ball. Helped by nine free kicks to three they gave the Dees one hell of a scare, but it wasn't to be for Alan Richardson's side.
VOTES
Nathan Jones (Melb) 8
Cameron Pedersen (Melb) 8
Angus Brayshaw (Melb) 8
James Harmes (Melb) 7
Billy Longer (StK) 7​
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