St Kilda’s bitterly disappointing record away from home has continued with Gold Coast easily accounting for the Saints by 40-points at Metricon Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
In perfect conditions for football, Gold Coast took control of the game from the opening bounce, and the day turned from bad to worse early with emerging key forward Paddy McCartin suffering a third concussion for the year midway through the first quarter.
The 2014 No. 1 pick was collected by teammate Tim Membrey in a marking contest and took some time to get to his feet. After failing to pass a subsequent concussion test, McCartin took no further part in the game, compounding a difficult day for the Saints, which ended in a 15.18 (108) to 8.20 (68) loss.
McCartin pre-game (photo: St Kilda FC)
Despite plenty of focus in the lead up centring on St Kilda’s form on the road, Gold Coast got the jump early, putting the first ten scoring shots on the board before a Jade Gresham behind broke the deadlock at the 20th minute mark of the first term.
Three late goals for the Saints breathed some life into the contest at the opening break, but after three behinds from Nick Riewoldt early in the second quarter, the Suns burnt away from the visitors. Poor kicking is poor football and it marred the day, with both sides missing a plethora of gettable opportunities close to goal.
By the main interval, the game was all but over with Rodney Eade’s side holding a 37-point advantage. And from there, Gold Coast was barely troubled with Michael Rischitelli, Dion Prestia and Jarrod Harbrow dictating terms in the middle of the ground.
David Armitage tackles Sun Jarrod Harbrow
After two exceptional wins against Geelong and Carlton, Alan Richardson’s men were brought crashing back down to earth in south-east Queensland with a fifth defeat interstate marking a clean sweep of losses on the road this season.
The ferocious pressure and intensity around the ball which has been present for most of St Kilda’s season was nowhere to be seen on a characteristic picturesque day on the Gold Coast.
The Suns accumulated a club record 149 marks – 88 more than St Kilda – with Tom Lynch (14 marks) and Peter Wright (10) taking double figures up forward and Steven May (11), Rory Thompson (11), Kade Kolodjashnij (10) and Nick Malceski (10) all hauling in plenty of grabs.
Maverick Weller in a wrestle with Sun Steven May
Gold Coast also collected 88 more uncontested possessions and used the ball at an elite efficiency rate of 80 per cent, methodically turning defence into attack through clinical ball movement patterns.
Star midfielder David Armitage went head-to-head with dual Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett and was one of only a few Saints to win or halve his contest. While small forwards Jack Lonie and Jade Gresham were clean at ground level and creative by hand despite limited opportunities.
Hard running wingman Jack Newnes worked tirelessly all day, gathering 20 possessions and two goals in another reliable performance, as did Leigh Montagna who collected a team-high 25 disposals, whileCaptain Riewoldt had ten marks and 21 touches, although five behinds tarnished his effort on a grim day for the Saints.
GOLD COAST 5.5 9.12 13.15 15.18 (108)
ST KILDA 3.1 4.5 5.13 8. 20 (68)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Wright 3, Hall 2, Prestia 2, Matera 2,Ablett, Ah Chee, Davis, Lynch, Malceski, Miller
St Kilda: Membrey 2, Newnes 2, Gresham, Lonie, Weller, Bruce
BEST
St Kilda: Montagna, Newnes, Armitage, Riewoldt.
Official crowd: 14,071 at Metricon Stadium
