ST KILDA fell 13 points short of a rampaging Gold Coast in the club’s season opener at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.
Suns captain Gary Ablett kicked four goals, including three in the final term, to guide the home team to a shock 13.12 (90) to 10.17 (77) win.
Ablett sent the home fans into raptures when his second goal of the quarter put the Suns ahead but his best was yet to come.
The dual-premiership player stepped and fended his way through the Saints'
defence, before sending a right-foot snap curling through the goal for his fourth major and a game-defining moment.
It was part of a remarkable best-on-ground display by the midfielder, who picked up a game-high 34 disposals.
Charlie Dixon and Luke Russell were the other multiple goalkickers for the Suns, with Russell's second late in the fourth quarter a crucial settler after Stephen Milne had closed the margin for St Kilda.
The Saints, led by captain Nick Riewoldt's two goals, had looked to have settled when they booted five-goals to none in the second-quarter to turn an 11-point first-quarter deficit into a 19-point half-time lead.
But the Suns bounced back with Ablett, Matt Shaw and teenage debutant Jaeger O'Meara kicking three third-term goals to move within two kicks of the lead at the last change.
From there the home team took control of the match through Ablett's inspiration and some St Kilda ill-discipline, the visitors conceding three 50m penalties and handing the Suns' their first two goals of the final term through free-kicks.
Late goals by Milne and Terry Milera gave the Saints hope of snatching a win but Aaron Hall's late breakaway major sealed the win and sparked celebrations.
Milera finished with three goals for the game, while Jarryn Geary had 28 possessions off half-back.
ST KILDA 1.7 6.9 7.14 10.17 (77)
GOLD COAST 3.6 3.8 6.11 13.12 (90)
GOALS
St Kilda: Milera 3, Riewoldt 2, Maister, Milne, Steven, Siposs, Armitage. Gold Coast: Ablett 4, Russell 2, Dixon 2, Day, O'Meara, Shaw, Bennell, Hall
BEST
St Kilda: Armitage, Geary, Milera, Steven, Riewoldt. Gold Coast: Ablett, Broughton, Dixon, Hall, Harbrow, Thompson, Shaw
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
St Kilda: Tom Simpkin replaced in selected side by Trent Dennis-Lane;
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Brandon Matera replaced Karmichael Hunt in the third quarter St Kilda: Trent Dennis-Lane replaced Tom Hickey at three-quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Kamolins, Mitchell
Official crowd: 13, 832 at Metricon Stadium
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