THOSE Saints fans that have attended all three Etihad Stadium games this season would have no finger nails left.

It was almost inconceivable at half-time that today’s script could follo the narratives of round one versus GWS and last week against Essendon, but it did – with one significant alteration… St Kilda was victorious, by seven points.

If today’s game was a rollercoaster (which it was metaphorically), motion sickness would have been rife.

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Early in the third term the Western Bulldogs - coached by former Saint Luke Beveridge - led by 55 points. It was a lead that any relatively rational observer would have considered unassailable. Not since 1937 had a St Kilda team overcome such a deficit. 

Jack Billings, who just over a year ago ran into an open goal in New Zealand and missed in the dying stages, booted the sealer in stunning fashion. His composure, combined with his elite skill level, was invaluable in a second half in which he kicked four goals. It was a second half performance that could well kickstart his career.

Just before this, Tom Hickey held onto a towering mark and goaled to put the Saints in the lead for the first time. If ever a moment of play justified a selection, this was it.

David Armitage collected a career-smashing 45 disposals, while Jack Steven was again superb with 32 possesions and seven inside 50s. 

These two are the meat in the sandwich between the veterans and the newcomers - and today they further enhanced their reputations. If the 26-year-old Armitage wasn't in All-Australian calculations before this afternoon, then he surely is now.

In the second term the Bulldogs booted seven majors to St Kilda’s none and the game looked all but over. However Clay Smith’s unfortunate ACL injury left the Dogs a rotation down and it proved costly in the third term as the Saints piled on an avalanche in return.

It was a remarkable turnaround that was not inspired by any one player or a singular passage of play, but rather a consistent and relentless intensity that had been lacking prior to that. In saying this, Hickey's tackle on Dogs skipper Bob Murphy and subsequent goal set the wheels in motion. It was a moment that Sam Fisher eluded to in his post-match interview.

The signs were ominous for the Saints in the first term. Although the Western Bulldogs only lead by seven points at the first break and had fewer disposals, the game was predominantly played in their half.

A string of missed opportunities kept the Saints in the contest – but it was the clearance count that was most alarming for Alan Richardson. The Dogs domination at stoppages was to be a trend that would continue until the third term.

St Kilda took 23 minutes to hit the scoreboard, and it was via the boot of a familiar source in Nick Riewoldt.

Daniel McKenzie, in just his second game but playing his first with the skipper, linked up with Armitage at half-back before hitting Riewoldt on the chest.

McKenzie had eight disposals in the first term and found space all afternoon, finishing with 19 possessions. At one point he ran back blindly with the flight of the ball, in spite of Jake Stringer who was coming at him from the opposite direction. It was this commitment to the cause that has epitomised St Kilda's season thus far.

Shane Savage’s concussion compounded St Kilda’s woes in the second term as the half-back was handed the red vest after copping a knock on centre wing. He was replaced by Jack Sinclair, who is handy in the forward half but doesn’t possess the polish of Savage or the experience. Not that it mattered - Sinclair kicked two majors.

To say the third quarter was remarkable would be underselling it. St Kilda peppered away in the early stages and goal by goal the fightback evolved from a pipe dream to a reality.

The margin was shaved to just two goals heading into the final term, and although the Bulldogs controlled the opening few minutes as they did in the first quarter, St Kilda refused to lay down. 

BEST: Armitage, Billings, Steven, Fisher, Montagna, McKenzie, Riewoldt

GOALS: Billings (4), Sinclair (2), Hickey (2), Armitage, Schneider, Riewoldt, Dunstan, Lonie, Bruce

ST KILDA:  14.9 (93)

WESTERN BULLDOGS: 13.9 (87)