When the game was there to be won in the final quarter of Sunday’s 38-point loss to Geelong, it was the Cats’ midfield that rose to the occasion, says St Kilda midfielder Seb Ross.
The Saints led by just under a kick at the final change, having taken the game right up to the undefeated Cats for almost the duration of clash up until that point.
But from there, Geelong motored away, led by captain Joel Selwood (14 disposals in last quarter), reigning Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield (11 disposals) and emerging pair Mitch Duncan (11 disposals) and George Horlin-Smith (eight disposals).
Ross, who was one of the best players on the ground with 33 disposals, six inside 50s, five clearances and 613 metres gained (5th highest reading of Round 5), pointed the blame squarely at the midfield after they were completely outplayed in the final 30 minutes.
“We knew it was going to be a challenge going in, they’ve got two of the best midfielders in the competition,” Ross told saints.com.au after Sunday’s loss at Etihad Stadium.
“The last two times we’ve played against them we had a draw and we beat them last year so we knew we were capable against them in the midfield, so we were disappointed to fall away in the last quarter.
“We knew Dangerfield, Selwood, Duncan, those guys would go to another level just like they did against North Melbourne – they’ve just been going to another level in the fourth quarter and we just didn’t go with them.
“I think all those guys had over ten possessions in the last quarter and it really got them going forward.”
St Kilda now travels to Tasmania next weekend to face Hawthorn in Launceston, looking to even the ledger after drifting to 2-3 after five rounds.
After a winless start to 2017, the Hawks produced their best season of the year on Sunday, beating West Coast by 51-points at the MCG.
Ross said the Saints will immediately turn their attention to preparing for Hawthorn and their trip down south.
“It’s a six-day break so I think it will be more about recovery,” Ross said.
“I know the Hawks haven’t been travelling too well but if you just look at what they’ve done in previous years they are a very capable team, so we won’t be taking them lightly.”
