ST KILDA kept alive its slim finals hopes on a day dedicated to retiring great Nick Riewoldt, but the Saints may need to go forward without Jake Carlisle.

Carlisle was reported twice in a fiery finish to a competitive opening term, starting with a strike to North Melbourne midfielder Luke McDonald's throat that sparked a melee on the siren. 

The ex-Bomber had already put everyone on alert when he hurt his back in the warm-up and required a fitness test to take his place in a match St Kilda won 18.19 (127) to 12.6 (78).

Alan Richardson, who unusually coached from the sidelines, rated the performance "really positive", particularly the game-altering second quarter.

"They were playing pretty good footy (early); it was a real arm wrestle at that stage of the game," Richardson told reporters.

"The second quarter was as dominant as we've played in a while – 15 scoring shots to two, but we kicked 4.11, so weren't able to maximise that dominance. But to the boys' credit, the guys stuck at it and were able to get a bit of reward.

"I'm really pleased it was a big day for 'Rooey' and a big day for our fans to come out, given this will be the last time he runs around out here and that wasn't lost on the players. So with that in mind, they're proud of their performance."

Only the 10th-placed Saints' season-long struggles in front of goal prevented them winning by more and making greater improvement to their relatively paltry percentage.

They need to beat Richmond for the second time this year and rely on wins for Hawthorn (over the Bulldogs), Fremantle (Essendon) and Adelaide (West Coast) to book a finals berth for the first time since 2011.

It was a fitting farewell in what was almost certainly Riewoldt's last match at Etihad Stadium, where he has kicked more goals than anyone else. He will strive to prolong his 335-match career when he faces the Tigers next Sunday.

Young Roo Dan Nielson (concussion) didn't make it to quarter-time, copping an accidental Josh Bruce knee to the head that saw him stretchered from the field in a neck brace. A thumbs-up to the crowd indicated he was OK, but he took no further part.

St Kilda took time to shake the Roos – inspired early by a prolific Shaun Higgins – and it was hard work even once it began dominating the clearances and snatching control in contested ball.

The Saints had 14 successive scoring shots after North captain Jack Ziebell gave his side its final lead inside the first eight minutes of the second term. But it was a slow burn, with 10 of the first 12 only behinds, including five rushed by a desperate Roos defence.

The teams' respective forward-half disposals for the quarter (78-19 in St Kilda's favour) told a sorry tale for the blue and white.

There was an inevitability about it, with St Kilda prime movers Jack Steven (40 possessions, 11 clearances) and Seb Ross (36, seven), plus the improving but still scratchy Luke Dunstan (32), running rampant. 

North threatened to make the Saints pay for their wastefulness when they briefly made a stand early in the third term to cut the difference to 21 points. But a Riewoldt goal kick-started four on the trot to put paid to the Kangaroos' challenge.

St Kilda's advantage peaked at 55 points when the exciting and brilliant Jade Gresham joined Bruce and Tim Membrey with three goals apiece.

The Saints' long list of contributors, including the silky Jack Sinclair and hard-running Jack Newnes, overwhelmed a North line-up too reliant on Higgins and Ben Cunnington on a difficult day. 

Higgins (32) was unable to maintain his hot early pace, but was the reason the Kangaroos led early in the contest. Cunnington was prominent in the clinches and won a team-high 36 disposals and added two majors.

North coach Brad Scott was pleased with his players' "energetic start", but said they were well beaten in the final three quarters.

"They completely turned the game around inside the contest after quarter-time and we were very reactive in the stoppages after that, and they really got on top of us and then outworked us from there," Scott said.

"We tried to peg it back in the second half, but again, St Kilda were very clean and very crisp with their movement away from the contest, and I thought that was the most significant difference between the sides.

"I thought the St Kilda midfield overall got right on top through weight of numbers … and losing four guys throughout the course of the game for periods of time (hurt us)."

MEDICAL ROOM

St Kilda: The Saints' sole concern is defender Sam Gilbert, who left the field in the third quarter with an abdominal issue. Coach Alan Richardson said Gilbert was "less likely than likely" to play next week in the must-win clash with Richmond. "He didn't take part in the last quarter. He's got a strain in his abs, so it's unlikely that he'll play."

North Melbourne: Key defender Dan Nielson (concussion) left the game for good after copping an accidental knee to the head from Josh Bruce in a first quarter marking contest. The game was held up for more than five minutes as trainers placed Nielson on a stretcher. Todd Goldstein left the match briefly in the opening term after a finger in the eye, but returned in the second quarter. Of more concern was the knee injury he sustained late in the contest. Braydon Preuss (right shoulder) played the match out despite disappearing into the rooms midway through the second term. Jack Ziebell (foot) and Cameron Zurhaar (back) will also be monitored.

NEXT UP

St Kilda may already know its finals scenario by the time it plays Richmond at the MCG on Sunday week, but regardless it must defeat the Tigers to have any chance. There will be twisted interest in North Melbourne's round 23 clash at the Gabba against the Brisbane Lions, with the loser to claim the wooden spoon.

ST KILDA                                 4.3   8.14  14.17  18.19 (127)

NORTH MELBOURNE             5.2   6.3    8.5      12.6 (78)

GOALS

St Kilda: Bruce 3, Membrey 3, Gresham 3, Riewoldt 2, Savage 2, Billings, Acres, Weller, Steele, Sinclair

North Melbourne: Garner 2, Brown 2, Hrovat 2, Cunnington 2, Simpkin, Gibson, Ziebell, Goldstein

BEST 

St Kilda: Steven, Ross, Dunstan, Billings, Steele, Newnes

North Melbourne: Cunnington, Higgins, McDonald, Goldstein, Garner

INJURIES 

St Kilda: Sam Gilbert (abdominal)

North Melbourne: Daniel Nielson (concussion), Todd Goldstein (left knee)

Reports: Jake Carlisle reported for striking Luke McDonald and Declan Mountford in two separate incidents in the first quarter

Umpires: Margetts, Kamolins, Wallace

Official crowd: 29,126 at Etihad Stadium