Must win game for Saints
Last Saturday night’s loss at Adelaide Oval means this Sunday’s game is a must win for St Kilda if they are going to return to September this year. Lose and the season is over. Win and the season has a heartbeat. It’s that simple. The Saints were well placed at 9-6 three weeks ago, but things have changed. Alan Richardson’s men must beat West Coast at Etihad Stadium; a side they haven’t beaten since Round 17, 2011 and haven’t beaten in their last eight encounters. Adam Simpson’s side has plenty to play for too. They sit at the foot of the top eight at 10-8, level with Sydney (6th), Melbourne (7th) and the Western Bulldogs (9th). Despite looming as a finals contender, the Eagles haven’t won consecutive games since Round 8. Their last two months reads like this: WLWLWLWL. St Kilda will be determined to keep the pattern running and desperate to keep their season alive.
The week that was for Saint Nick
The Nick Riewoldt story added another chapter on Monday. After nearly 17 seasons, the blonde bombshell called time on his decorated career. And what a remarkable career it has been. While his ageing body hasn’t quite allowed him to reach some of the glorious heights he has climbed before, after a week off, expect the champion forward to return to Docklands on Sunday – a venue he has played at (182 games) more than any other player in the game’s history (Bob Murphy and Brent Harvey next best on 169 games) – and make a statement. He has done it many times before and it wasn’t that long ago he got the better of Richmond superstar Alex Rance in another vintage best on ground performance. The Saints have struggled to score in the last three weeks, averaging just 59 points per game, well below their season average of 88.6 points (No. 10 in AFL). Can Riewoldt dig into his deep bag of trips and conjure more wizardry?
Can Brown attach the caravan to Kennedy for a little bit longer this time?
When St Kilda travelled to Perth earlier in the year, dual Josh Kennedy didn’t touch the ball until halfway through the second quarter. By midway through the last quarter, the dual Coleman Medallist had only one goal to his name and less than a handful of marks. Nathan Brown, the man who was recruited to the club to tame the monsters, had followed Kennedy around Subiaco like a caravan attached to a 4WD. But just like champions do, Kennedy detached the carriage and stole the game for West Coast. Despite missing five games recently, the 29-year-old is only four goals behind leading
From good to very good
After leaping from averaging 18.2 disposals in 2015 to 26.5 in 2016, Seb Ross has leapt a similar distance in difficulty again this year, rising to 30.3 by the end of Round 19. It’s been a stellar rise and one that has entrenched the 24-year-old amongst the game’s upper echelon of midfielders. Only six players in the AFL are touching the ball more than him in 2017. Brownlow Medal favourite Dustin Martin and reigning Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield aren’t one of them. With only four games remaining in the home and away season, Ross still remains in the top ten of the Coaches Award, after collecting another 31 disposals and two votes at Adelaide Oval last weekend. And with a West Coast engine room containing star midfielders in Luke Shuey and Andrew Gaff, rising star Elliot Yeo and retiring Brownlow Medallists Sam Mitchell and Matt Priddis, St Kilda will need another high-quality performance from the boy from Ballarat.
