RICHMOND has overcome a spirited St Kilda at Windy Hill, holding off a mid-game fight back to win 9.4 (58) to 6.7 (43) on Sunday afternoon.

After a slow start, the Saints worked themselves back into the contest throughout the second and third quarters, but the Tigers steadied when it mattered and held off the challenges, continuing their alternating win-loss pattern of results in the 2026 season.

Jade McLay had a breakout game for St Kilda. Playing in just her third match, McLay had Saints fans jumping out of their seats after kicking three goals in quick succession to open the second quarter, before finishing with a game-high four goals.

Zoe Besanko and Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw had their colours lowered by Poppy Kelly and Gabby Seymour in the ruck, losing the hitouts 39 to 17. But St Kilda’s midfield fought hard, only losing the clearance count by five.

Gabby Seymour kicked the first major of the afternoon – and her first goal since Round 1, 2022 – with the Tigers co-captain converting from distance after receiving a free kick for a block in a ruck contest. Katie Brennan kicked Richmond’s second shortly after, floating across the front of a pack inside 50 to take a solid contested mark.

But the Saints fired back as the quarter wore on, attempting to put more speed on the ball and getting on the board through Ashleigh Richard’s smart finish from a tight angle in the pocket.

McLay was a dominant force early in the second, kicking the first three goals of her career before the 10-minute mark of the quarter. The 19-year-old walked off the ground minutes later though, after coming off second best in a bone-crunching contest and did not return until after half-time.

"I think what you'll see with Jade is she only has one pace," St Kilda coach Nick Dal Santo said after the game.

"I think you got a glimpse of what she's capable of. We're really bullish and excited about what she's going to be for our football club."

Teammate Olivia Vesely was less fortunate, ruled out with an ankle injury during the half-time break. The 26-year-old left the field in the closing stages of the second term after collecting six disposals and two clearances. Vesely was later spotted sporting a moonboot when she emerged from the rooms in the third quarter.

Momentum swung back Richmond’s way after McLay left the field, with Charli Wicksteed, Seymour, and Isabel Bacon kicking the last three goals of the term to restore the Tigers’ two goal lead at the main break.

After a quiet first half, Tawhiao-Wardlaw got St Kilda back within a kick in the early stages of the third, the key forward splitting the middle from a set shot courtesy of a clean chest mark.

The Saints appeared much more settled defensively following the long break, holding the Tigers to five inside 50s. They applied great tackle pressure in their back half, running Richmond players down repeatedly to win free kicks for holding the ball.

Jaimee Lambert kept busy in the third, picking up six disposals, four contested possessions, two tackles, and two clearances.  

Emelia Yassir goaled in the 14th minute of the quarter, her second for the match, to give the Tigers some breathing room heading into the final change. St Kilda had gotten the deficit back to 10 points, winning just its third quarter for the season. 

The final term was a tussle, with neither team able to establish dominance. Richmond were rewarded for their hard work through goals to Brennan and Olivia Wolmarans, and although McLay found her fourth goal in stoppage time, changing the result was out of reach.

Dal Santo felt his side performed well in a number of areas, but conceded the Tigers made more of their opportunities.

"The scoreboard says it was a pretty even contest over the course of [the game]," he said.

"There's probably a couple of blocks where they kicked, I want to say, three [goals] in a short period of time with momentum, and I guess that was the difference at the end of the day."

Up next
Richmond travels to Corroboree Group Oval in Canberra to play the Greater Western Sydney in the early game on Sunday, looking to record back-to-back victories for the first time this season. St Kilda hosts West Coast– fresh off an upset victory over Brisbane – at RSEA Park later that afternoon and will be trying to avoid equalling a club record nine consecutive losses. 

RICHMOND    3.1    6.3    7.3    9.4 (58)
ST KILDA       1.0    4.3    5.5    6.7 (43) 

GOALS
Richmond: Seymour 2, Yassir 2, Brennan 2, Wicksteed, Bacon, Wolmarans
St Kilda: McLay 4, Richards, Tawhiao-Wardlaw 

BEST
Richmond: Bacon, Seymour, McKenzie, Kelly, East
St Kilda: Smith, McLay, Richards

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
St Kilda: Olivia Vesely (ankle) 

LATE CHANGES
Richmond: Ally Dallaway (managed) replaced in the selected side by Maddie Shevlin.
St Kilda: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: TBC at Windy Hill