A goal after the siren from Werribee saw the Saints defeated 9.11 (65) to 10.6 (66) in an absolute thriller at RSEA Park on Saturday afternoon.

On the back of a disappointing outcome last week against Essendon, the Saints returned home looking to bounce back over second-placed Werribee, a team in great form over the past month of VFL action.

Q1

From the opening whistle, both outfits were raring to go for what proved to be a scrappy affair back on home soil. 

It was a frustrating start from the Saints, being immersed in the contest however failing to capitalise on the scoreboard. Although St Kilda were able to generate 13 inside 50s in the opening stanza, the return of just two behinds failed to produce any scoring damage against the visitors.

Jack Macrae (26 disposals, 3 clearances) showed his usual best, and was dominant early with his usual run and carry that sparked some good passages of play despite the goalless term.

Q2

After a sluggish start, St Kilda began to find their stride in the game. The contest intensified as Joshua Clarke (12 disposals, 1 goal) conjured up a moment of brilliance. He finally got the Saints underway and stopped the early four-goal run from the visitors. 

Werribee certainly didn’t shy away from the pressure St Kilda was bringing, putting away the next two majors to extend the margin. Jonah Campigli (8 disposals, 5 tackles, 2 goals) backed up his 3 goal game last time out at Windy Hill with another great performance. 

Campigli was good enough to stay composed on his feet for a brilliant mark, registering the Saints’ second major, trimming back the deficit to just 16 points heading into the main break. 

Q3

After the main change, the shackles begun to break open and more free-flowing footy was on display. Patrick Said (14 disposals, 4 goals) sprung into action and his presence was immediately felt. 

Said strung together two consecutive goals as a result of his slick work in quick time to start the third, bringing the deficit to single digits.

Campigli continued his second quarter heroics to find his second goal, while Said’s ferocious pressure (10 tackles) was rewarded, putting through his third for the term - putting the Saints in front for the first time in the contest. 

In the dying minute of the term, Billy Richardson (7 disposals, 1 goal) provided another spark to the Saints, putting together some great play to give the Saints a 12-point lead heading into the final change. 

Q4

The visitors responded to the Saints’ fantastic third quarter, kicking two of the first three goals, and the contest was well and truly in full force coming into the back end of the last quarter.

While some wasteful opportunities by both teams prevented any purple patches, it was the work of Issac Keeler (14 disposals, 1 goal) that gave the Saints back the lead by five points heading into the final minutes of the contest. 

A turnover created one last surge for Werribee, in which a free-kick near the teeth of goal led to an after-the-siren set shot. As the siren went off, the kick was sent through goal to hand St Kilda a gut-wrenching one-point defeat.

NEXT GAME:

The Saints will be back on home soil home to take on the table-toppers in the Cats next Saturday.

MATCH FACTS:

ST KILDA: 0.2 2.4 7.9 9.11 (65)

WERRIBEE: 2.1 5.2 6.3 10.6 (66)

GOALS: Said 4, Campigli 2, Richardson, Clarke, Keeler