ST KILDA will rue a poor first-half conversion rate and a substandard third quarter following this afternoon’s 37-point loss to North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena.
Perfect conditions greeted the sixth placed Kangaroos and 13th placed Saints in Hobart, with St Kilda fielding three players who were born in Tasmania – Nick Riewoldt, Maverick Weller and Jimmy Webster.
Leigh Montagna was prolific once again with 33 disposals, while David Armitage, Jack Newnes and Seb Ross were all solid in the engine room.
While a poor third quarter turned the game in North Melbourne’s favour, it was St Kilda’s inability to convert a string of chances earlier on that proved most costly.
Jack Sinclair got things underway for the Saints in the first, before Tom Hickey made it two in a row with a clever snap.
Hickey started forward but played an active role in quelling North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein. His mark in dying seconds of the first half in front of Lachlan Hansen, which put the Saints 20 points ahead at the main break, illustrated his yet-to-be fully realised talents. The left-footer finished with 2.2 in undoubtedly his best performance since round two last year.
In the second quarter, the Saints notched 22 inside 50s to North’s five, but only converted 3.8 for the term.
The missed opportunity virus that plagued the club’s loss to GWS in round 15 and three weeks later against Port Adelaide reared its ugly head again.
North Melbourne drew first blood in the third quarter, before David Armitage ran into an open goal and booted his first for the afternoon.
Shortly after, Jarryn Geary made the most of a 50 metre penalty and kicked his second major for the season – but for the next 25 minutes it was all North, the Kangaroos booting seven unanswered goals and nine for the term.
If there was any hope of a comeback, it quickly evaporated with a Jarrad Waite goal in the first minute of the final term.
A host of young players like Darren Minchington, Sinclair, Blake Acres and Nathan Wright began the game well, but faded as the game progressed.
In many respects, this inconstancy of performance is to be expected with such a young team. However to say that Alan Richardson and his coaching staff will simply accept it does not do justice to the club’s commitment to rapid improvement.
St Kilda will take on Geelong next Saturday night at Etihad Stadium, while Sandringham travels to Visy Park tomorrow to meet the Northern Blues.
ST KILDA: 3.3 6.11 8.13 11.17 (83)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 2.1 4.3 13.8 18.12 (120)
Goals: Riewoldt 2, Hickey 2, Riewoldt 2, Sinclair, Minchington, Armitage, Geary, Newnes
Best: Montagna, Armitage, Dempster, Newnes, Hickey, Goddard
Substitute: Saunders replaced Jack Sinclair in the third term
Umpires: Donlon, Deboy, Schmitt
