ST KILDA has strengthened its claims for a maiden finals series since entering the competition in 2020, overcoming Carlton by 13 points in a significant finals-shaper at Ikon Park on Saturday night.
With both teams sitting at 6-3 coming in to the match and just 1.4 per cent separating them on the leader, the Saints held their nerve to run out 7.7 (49) to 5.6 (36) winners.
BLUES v SAINTS Full match coverage and stats
However, the injury concerns for the already walking wounded Saints continued, with Bec Ott ruled out late with an ankle injury and Nicola Xenos (knee) and Georgia Patrikios (ankle) also being helped from the field by trainers.
Tyanna Smith (21 disposals, six tackles, five clearances) produced an eye-catching game, combining nicely with Patrikios (22 disposals, two clearances) and Amber Clarke, who created plenty of opportunities and had a thrilling three-bounce run down the wing.
Meanwhile, Maddy Guerin responded strongly to a couple of weeks out to finish with 24 disposals, five tackles and five clearances for Carlton.
The pressure was high from the outset, leading to some early uncharacteristic dropped marks and kicks falling short.
Nick Dal Santo, who notched up his 50th game as Saints coach, noted last week that his side was giving the opposition too many inside 50s and front-half opportunities this year, and it was a similar story early on Saturday night.
However, the Blues were unable to capitalise, going at 16.7 per cent efficiency inside 50 by half-time, although they headed into the sheds +30 in uncontested possessions.
They had a slow and patient build-up for their first goal, ending with Lila Keck sending a piercing ball to Poppy Scholz, who went back and coolly converted.
It was often defensive slip-ups from Carlton after a build-up of pressure that led to the Saints converting. Yasmin Duursma's attempt to clear the ball after missing a mark deep in her defensive 50 was pounced upon by Guttridge, managed for last week's match against Collingwood, waltzing into an open goal for the Saints' first of the game.
And in a moment Maddie Hendrie would like to forget, the defender failed to rush the ball through with Jesse Wardlaw hot on her tail. Wardlaw was able to handball off to Hannah Stuart to run into goal and convert.
J'Noemi Anderson's goal early in the third quarter was soured after she needed to be helped from the field by trainers, unable to put any weight on her left ankle, though she later returned to the field after being strapped up. She recently missed two weeks with an ankle complaint.
The Blues responded immediately, winning the centre clearance with Sophie McKay sending the ball inside 50, where Maddy Guerin's quick hands to Keeley Skepper made for an over-the-shoulder snap. Teammate Erone Fitzpatrick followed in kind, bending it around the body for two goals in a row.
Carlton took the ascendancy in the third term, controlling and playing a strong front-half game – but was let down by its finishing, at times unable to stick marks and sending its set shots out of bounds on the full.
A Saints goal against the run of play, with Hannah Priest taking a wobbly mark and ordered by Wardlaw to go back and take the set shot, pushed the margin back to 10 points at three-quarter-time.
Early in the final quarter, the Saints drew first blood, with a desperate smother from Guttridge and clean pick-up leading her to an open goalsquare, with the Saints able to hold their nerve to move to 7-3 with two rounds to go.
Up next
St Kilda will head to North Hobart Oval to face the League's current toughest task in North Melbourne.
CARLTON 1.0 2.0 4.3 5.6 (36)
ST KILDA 1.2 3.5 5.7 7.7 (49)
GOALS
Carlton: McKay 2, Scholz, Skepper, Fitzpatrick
St Kilda: Guttridge 2, Patrikios, Stuart, Anderson, Priest, Baskaran
BEST
Carlton: A.McKay, S.McKay, Guerin, Cordner
St Kilda: Smith, Patrikios, Guttridge, Am. Clarke, Watson
INJURIES
Carlton: Nil
St Kilda: Anderson (ankle), Ott (ankle), Xenos (knee), Georgia Patrikios (ankle)
Reports: Nil
