THE START was fitting, the first half staggering.

Nick Riewoldt's contested mark and goal two minutes into a game dedicated to his late sister – Maddie's Match 2.0 – heralded a St Kilda ambush that took no-one more by surprise than Richmond.

The Saints knew a loss would cost them their top-eight spot and they instead blitzed the bitterly disappointing Tigers early, then put them to the sword in a devastating second term that reaped 9.5 to 0.1.

It was St Kilda's best quarter ever at Richmond's expense and put an 82-point gap between the sides by half-time. That pace was never sustainable, but the Saints still inflicted an emphatic 21.12 (138) to 10.11 (71) thumping on Damien Hardwick's men.

They did it with aggressive ball movement – which Hardwick noted mid-week as a threat – and spread the ball wonderfully between a committed group that harassed its rivals with manic pressure.

The majority of St Kilda's goals came off Tiger turnovers, a trend set early from giveaways by stars Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin.

Saints Riewoldt, Seb Ross, whose highlight was a brilliant chase down that denied Jason Castagna a shot on goal, and Jarryn Geary started the rot. Then Jack Steven, Billy Longer, Jack Newnes and Leigh Montagna went ballistic in the second term.

The numbers in St Kilda's favour by the half-time siren were extraordinary: 248-142 disposals, 43-14 inside 50s, 23-9 clearances.

Steven's superb long-range finish completed the Saints' opening-half scoring, the 11th of 12-straight goals for his club and his 14th possession in the second quarter.

Incredibly, the damage would have been worse if not for Josh Bruce's pair of elementary misses from within 10 metres in scenes reminiscent of his errant kick from the goal square against Hawthorn in round six.

Bruce's 1.5 first-half haul edged Richmond by one behind.

The margin peaked at 92 in the third term, courtesy of Riewoldt's third goal. The 34-year-old was masterful, hauling in 12 marks and running the AFL's best defender, Alex Rance, ragged with his famed work ethic.

Rance had three touches to the main break and was not the only senior Tiger that failed to fire a shot. Martin had six possessions to that stage and Jack Riewoldt just two.

Captain Cotchin's numbers were comparatively gaudy and he slotted his team's sole goal in the first half, but was also guilty of a gut punch to Jack Lonie that gifted the Saints six points.

The Match Review Panel is sure to at least look at the incident, given the crackdown on punching, but St Kilda forward Tim Membrey (five goals) also faces a worrying wait.

Membrey's late hit in the second quarter on Dylan Grimes in a marking contest left the defender with an immediate shiner and he took no further part after half-time.

There was genuine doubt about the Saints’ finals credentials after Adelaide exacted a third-straight defeat on them by at least 40 points and a sixth overall from 11 matches.

What followed is four-consecutive victories of increasingly impressive fashion that crucially give St Kilda breathing room inside the top eight.

The Saints’ aspirations might be significantly higher now. 

Richmond has now suffered two hidings in 2017 – the other a 76-point defeat to Adelaide – ahead of match-ups with the Brisbane Lions and Greater Western Sydney.



ST KILDA               5.3   14.8    19.8   21.12   (138)                  

RICHMOND          1.3   1.4       4.9     10.11     (71)          

 

GOALS

St Kilda: Membrey 5, Riewoldt 3, Bruce 2, Stevens 2, Gresham 2, Montagna 2, Ross, Billings, Longer, Steven, McKenzie

Richmond: Castagna 2, Cotchin, Caddy, Grigg, Martin, Butler, Lloyd, Ellis, Riewoldt

 

BEST 

St Kilda: Ross, Steven, Montagna, Stevens, Steele, Membrey, Riewoldt, Sinclair, Longer

Richmond: Lambert, Grigg, Ellis, Edwards, Astbury

 

INJURIES 

St Kilda: Longer (hamstring)

Richmond: Grimes (concussion)

 

Reports: Nil

 

Umpires: Schmitt, Ryan, Mollison

 

Official crowd: 47,514 at Etihad Stadium