An eight goal to zero final quarter blitz has led St Kilda to a 34-point victory over Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, with the Saints overcoming a dismal middle two quarters to record consecutive wins for the first time since Round 2, 2014.

In a game with contrasting narratives, Alan Richardson’s side burst out of the blocks kicking the first four goals, before Fremantle clawed their way back into the encounter in the second and third quarter. But then St Kilda flew home with a wet sail on the back of a dominant patch from the Saints key forwards.

After a 5.4 to 3.0 opening term, St Kilda stopped working like they did early in the piece as Fremantle worked their way back into the encounter. Ross Lyon’s side dominated the middle two quarters to arrest the Saints’ fast start. It started in the second quarter with the Dockers kicking four goals to one, including three in the space of five minutes late in the quarter to reach the main interval with all the momentum.

Things didn’t get any better after the half-time with Dockers star Lachie Neale opening the visitors  account within the first minute of the second-half to continue the momentum. It took until a goal out of thin air on the goal line from Paddy McCartin to snap a five-goal streak from Fremantle and to swing the game back in St Kilda’s favour ever so slightly. And from there, St Kilda ran away with their fourth win of the season, dominating the final stanza to win 15.11 (107) to 10.7 (67).

A week after the key forward combination of McCartin, Josh Bruce and Tim Membrey flexed their collective muscle against Essendon, the trio showed glimpses of class early, but took until the final quarter to tick the scoreboard over. The emerging collection of keys finished with seven majors between them in just their second senior game in the same side.

Membrey finished with 3.2 and was the most lively close to goal, but it was the work of McCartin that has Saints fans leaving the ground with a wry grin. The 2014 No. 1 pick had his big mitts on early, plucking a massive pack mark and converting truly from 40 metres out in the opening term.

While his numbers didn’t leap off the page like they did last Sunday, his sticky hands overhead are a sight for sore eyes. And then there’s his football nous, exhibited late in the game where he picked out Bruce inside 50 to put the game beyond doubt.

Ball-magnet Jack Steven picked up where he left off last week, acquiring plenty of ball and providing bursts of spark throughout the night. The two-time Trevor Barker Award winner finished with a game-high  32 disposals, 14 contested possessions, nine tackles and six clearances.

Steven was well supported by David Armitage at the coal face, with the star midfielder rolling up his sleeves on an ugly night. The Queenslander willed his way through the game on the back of work-rate, finishing with a career-high 17 tackles, to go with seven clearances and 28 disposals.

In Shane Savage’s 100th AFL appearance, it was Dylan Roberton who provided the bulk of run out of the defensive half of the ground. The 24-year-old defender produced his strongest showing of the season, collecting 29 touches and 11 rebound 50s to torch his old team.

Stalwart defender Sam Fisher has performed plenty of big roles in his decorated career, and again he got the job done on the oppositions premier forward. Not only did Fisher stifle the influence of six-time All Australian Matthew Pavlich, holding the former Dockers skipper to just eight possessions, one mark and one goal, he also turned defence into offence on numerous occasions through his intercept play.

ST KILDA                5.4       6.8      7.9       15.11   (101)                  
FREMANTLE          3.0       7.1      10.4     10.7      (67)           

GOALS
St Kilda: Membrey 3, McCartin 2, Riewoldt 2, Bruce 2, Newnes, Armitage, Murdoch, Steven, Weller, Gresham
Fremantle: Weller 2, Langdon 2, Taberner 2, Walters, Pavlich, Sheridan, Neale 

BEST 
St Kilda: Steven, Armitage, Fisher, Membrey, Roberton, Riewoldt, Geary.

Official crowd: 17,927 at Etihad Stadium