THE RESULT
Sydney by 16 points, 11.13 (79) defeated St Kilda 9.9 (63)
THE MOMENT
Leigh Montagna’s goal at the 19-minute mark of the final term from a standing start was an inspirational finish. He was under significant pressure, hemmed in on the boundary line, with a heavy ball and calmly finished to cut the deficit to ten points.
THE UNUSUAL
Aside from the first ever overseas AFL game for premiership points, Nick Riewoldt taking a kick-out late in the third term was highly unusual. The Saints skipper played on and pumped the ball down the line, illustrating his versatility and elite aerobic capacity.
THE GOAL
Ten minutes before Montagna booted St Kilda within two goals of Sydney, Jack Steven gave the Saints some belief with a superb snap around his body from an acute angle. It was the young midfielder’s only goal for the night in amongst 22 disposals including ten touches in a fantastic first term.
THE STAR
From the outset Nick Riewoldt was the Saints dominant player. He ran, he tackled, he marked, he goaled and led from the front to continue his excellent start to the season. The skipper had 14 contested possessions, equaling his career high which he set in round nine, 2011 against Melbourne.
He finished with 27 disposals, two goals and five rebound 50s – demonstrating his ability to cover vast areas of the ground on a freakishly consistent basis and run his direct opponent off his feet.
THE CROWD
22,546
THE STATISTIC
St Kilda amassed 96 tackles for the game while Sydney laid 89. The 185 tackles was the second most tackles in a match this season, just shy of the 192 laid in the Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs game last weekend. The record is 258 in round 10 2010, in a match between Richmond and Port Adelaide.
WHAT WE SAID
St Kilda coach Scott Watters:
“I thought Nick (Riewoldt’s) game today reeked of one of the great captains. He knows he has to lead a lot of our younger players and be a really strong role model. [We had] four or five kids that come in [and] none of them looked out of place. I hate losing, we hate losing as a club, but [I’m] really proud of their efforts. If they continue to give that; win, lose or draw, the club moves forward.”
THE ANALYSIS
St Kilda began well and finished brilliantly. In between Sydney showed tremendous poise and class in the clinches, but to the Saints credit, they didn’t lose hope and continued to toil and scrap in what was a physically draining contest.
Riewoldt, Geary and Hayes were tremendous from the outset, while 19-year-old Seb Ross finished with 17 possessions (10 contested) in his first full AFL game after beginning his first two as the substitute.
The Saints now have an eight day break before meeting Collingwood at Etihad Stadium in what shapes as a pivotal clash for both teams.
You can follow Tom Morris on twitter: @tommorris32
