A Jaimee Lambert masterclass has led St Kilda to a fourth straight win as the Saints defeated Greater Western Sydney by 14 points, but it came at a cost with a suspected serious knee injury to Nicola Barr.

Lambert led the way for the Saints from the outset, kicking the opening goal before adding a second in the third term that was critical in taking the game away from the Giants to ensure the 4.6 (30) to 2.4 (16) win.

04:50

AFLW RD8 | Highlights v GWS

See the best moments from the Saints' 14-point win over the Giants.

The 32-year-old had 25 disposals – 16 of which were contested - to go with her two majors as she firms for a third straight Saints club champion award to go with the three that she won at Collingwood.

The Saints' joy was diffused late though when Barr, who was lining up her against her former side for the first time, going down in agony and clutching her knee after it jarred in the Henson Park turf.

Barr’s injury came just a minute after important defender Bianca Jakobsson limped off with an ankle issue amid a composed showing down back.

03:39

AFLW RD8 | Nick Dal Santo post-game

Coach Nick Dal Santo unpacks the Saints' Round 8 win over the Giants.

The Giants stuck with St Kilda throughout the first half, matching them for field position and inside 50’s as they went into the main break only a point down.

But the extra class in the Saints' engine room – led by Lambert and Georgia Patrikios – started to take its toll on the home side along with the extra slickness in the Saints' ball movement and efficiency up forward as they kicked away in the third term with three goals.

00:51

AFLW RD8 | Lambert lets loose for superb opener

Jaimee Lambert intercepts the footy and makes no mistake with the set shot to get the Saints rolling.

As hard as the Giants tried in the absence of experienced stars Alyce Parker and Alicia Eva, their skill errors again proved to be their downfall highlighted by a defensive 50 turnover in the first quarter that led to Lambert’s first goal.

A source of optimism for the struggling Giants came in the form of second-year midfielder Kaitlyn Srhoj who had a career-high 27 disposals to go with eight tackles.

Freaky first goals
The Henson Park clash was lit up by two superb debut goals. The first came from Giants ruck Fleur Davies who slotted a set shot from 30m out on the boundary in the first term. Charlotte Simpson then got the Saints going in the second half with her first ever major. She let fly with a long range effort from just inside 50 that bounced sharply away from the Giants defence but still rolled through for a critical major that helped St Kilda take the game away from the Giants.

00:39

AFLW RD8 | Simpson strikes for first AFLW goal

Charlotte Simpson finishes a superb team play and enjoys a fortuitous bounce for her maiden major in the big league.

Eva’s agony
Alicia Eva’s injury woes have continued as her bid to return from a month out with a hamstring injury was delayed. The Giants champion was tracking ahead of schedule for a return to the side but was a late withdrawal with a quad problem. Sophie Kavanagh replaced her in the GWS team.

Next Up
The Saints' surge up the ladder will be a strong chance to continue as they eye off a fifth win in a row against lowly Collingwood at home at RSEA Park. The Giants will be an outside chance of a win as they travel to Victoria to take on Geelong.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY      0.0    1.2    1.2     2.4 (16)
ST KILDA                                     1.2    1.3    4.4     4.6 (30)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Davies, Garnett
St Kilda: Lambert 2, Smith, Simpson

BEST

Greater Western Sydney: Srhoj, Brazendale, Beeson, Goldsworthy, Garnett
St Kilda: Lambert, Patrikios, Simpson, Trudgeon, Xenos, Smith

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: None
St Kilda: Barr (knee), Jakobsson (ankle)

LATE CHANGES
Greater Western Sydney: Alicia Eva (quad) replaced in the selected side by Sophie Kavanagh
St Kilda: None

Crowd: 1519 at Henson Park