Where and when:
Saturday March 9, 2.30pm at Casey Fields, Cranbourne East.

Member information:
Limited parking will be available on site at Casey Fields for $5. There will be a free shuttle bus to the ground from Cranbourne train station.

Overview:
Both teams enjoyed hard-fought victories last week, St Kilda by 23 points over Sydney, and Melbourne by just two points against Port Adelaide.

The Saints, while firmly focussed on the season proper, are also intent on playing some competitive football in the NAB Cup. Melbourne is in a similar boat, committed to blooding some youngsters in the pre-season competition.

St Kilda sits 7th on the NAB Cup ladder, and while it’s mathematically possible to make next weekend’s Grand Final, it is highly unlikely. The Saints need Carlton, and Richmond and North Melbourne to lose, and in the process thump the Demons.
Melbourne is 12th on the table, which remarkably has just two winless teams – last year’s Grand Finalists Hawthorn and Sydney.

Stat focus:

  • The Demons had fewer kicks, handballs, inside 50s and contested possessions last week against Port Adelaide and still won the game. The primary area of difference was the clearance count, Melbourne’s 32 trumping the Power’s 21 takeaways.
  • St Kilda preferred to kick the ball last week rather than dispose of it via hand, registering 99 handballs to Sydney’s whopping 155. It will be interesting to see whether the Saints continue with this direct style of game-plan this Saturday.

Injury list:

St Kilda:
Rhys Stanley
Daniel Markworth

Melbourne:
Rohan Bail
Sam Blease
Mitch Clark
Max Gawn
Tom McDonald
Colin Sylvia
Jack Trengove

Last week:
St Kilda 0.13.12 (90) defeated Sydney 1.8.10 (67)

Melbourne 0.12.6 (78) defeated Port Adelaide 1.10.7 (76)

What they say:
Nathan Jones on last Sunday’s victory: “A win is a win and we haven’t had many over the last few years, so just to get that [winning] feeling amongst the group [was important because] it was an inexperienced team and a few had not even played a game yet.”
So for them to really dig in … and for them to stand up, implement the structures and things we wanted, is a great morale booster for those guys.”

“We’ve got two trial games to keep working on a few areas … but the real focus is getting continuity into our team and getting the best team on the park…”

What we say:
Scott Watters previewing St Kilda’s first four premiership games: “They really should be faceless teams that we play. We really should be endeavouring to play our best football regardless of who we play or who it is where people think they are positioned.”

“Every year starts with a square ledger. Gold Coast in Round 1 away will be extremely tough and that’s how we prepare for it.”
“I think every game is critical … Last year we dropped our first game to Port Adelaide away.”

Running hot:

St Kilda:
Leigh Montagna had 28 touches and ten marks against the Swans, and also looms as a goal threat with the potential to push forward occasionally.

Melbourne:
James Sellar booted four first-half goals and ended with five for the match against Port Adelaide last weekend. The 196cm former Crow can play as a key defender as well as a high-marking forward, and the Saints will need to mark him closely to ensure his influence on the game is negated.

Last time they met:
Round 20, 2012 at the MCG.
St Kilda 16.11 (107) defeated Melbourne 12.10 (82)
Disposals: Dal Santo (30), Grimes (29)
Goals: Maister (5), Blease (5)