FOUR years ago, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda faced off in an enthralling preliminary final contest at the MCG. Many of the Saints players were still wounded after close calls in 2004 and 2005, while the Bulldogs hadn’t won a preliminary final in five attempts since 1961.
St Kilda possessed a remarkably deep midfield group and a multi-pronged forward-line led by 2009 All-Australian captain Nick Riewoldt.
The Dogs were a team full of run. Brad Johnson was an undersized spearhead, while Jason Akermanis, Robert Murphy and Shaun Higgins were classy goal-kicking midfielders. Adam Cooney was the reigning Brownlow Medallist and Matthew Boyd was an established in-an-under midfielder.
Leading into the contest, St Kilda had won 21 of its 23 matches for the season, remaining unbeaten up until round 19 and finishing atop of the AFL ladder.
The Western Bulldogs finished third, booting more goals than any other team in the home and away season.
The Saints were held goalless in the first term in dewy conditions, with Dale Morris limiting Riewoldt’s influence and Matthew Boyd prolific in the clinches. Despite the Bulldogs dominance, they kicked inaccurately in the opening quarter, booting 2.5 to St Kilda’s two behinds.
The Saints fought back in the second term as Nick Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes began to own the stoppages. Still, the margin was seven points at the main break in favour of Rodney Eade’s men. While more goals were being kicked, the game was still an almighty arm wrestle and a low-scoring affair.
Riewoldt began to limp halfway through the term, but was given pain-killing injections and came out firing after half-time. The Saints skipper was awarded a free kick before the ball was bounced after Brian Lake pushed him to ground. Riewoldt subsequently goaled, and brought the margin back to one point.
The Saints had the majority of the play for the third term, booting four majors to the Dogs’ two to hold a five-point buffer at the final break. Clinton Jones was tagging Cooney, while Jarrod Harbrow was collecting plenty of the ball on Adam Schneider.
The last term was an absorbing tussle. In a reversal of momentum, the Bulldogs controlled much of the contest for the first 20 minutes of the term, but as had been the case all evening, struggled to replicate this ascendancy onto the scoreboard. Nevertheless, with five minutes remaining, the Saints trailed and were looking fatigued.
Mitch Hahn was causing the Saints defenders headaches in the forward 50, while Daniel Cross and Ryan Griffen had also worked their way into the game.
Enter Riewoldt. He launched himself across the front of a large pack, marked and goaled from 30 metres out to give the Saints the lead by two points. Daniel Giansiracusa then had a golden opportunity at the other end, but didn’t convert and the margin was a solitary point with less than three minutes remaining.
Not for the first or last time, Riewoldt willed his team across the line, pouncing on a loose ball to toe-poke home his fourth second half major and sealed the game for St Kilda.
After the match Ross Lyon was delighted, but adamant that his team still had work to do in the lead-up to the grand final.
“We’re not celebrating,” Lyon said. We didn’t celebrate in the rooms, I pointed out where they (the players) need to improve and we’ve got incredible focus to prepare again.”
“This club has been to four [prelims] in the last six years and they’re really tough games to win. You get to a grand final and it’s a roll of the dice now, isn’t it?”
Sam Fisher finished with 30 touches and was one of the leaders who stood up when the game was in the balance. 2009 All-Australian teammates Riewoldt, Hayes and Dal Santo were all influential, while Luke Ball and Steven Baker both laid six tackles for the match.
Final Score:
STK 9.6 (60) defeated WB 7.11 (53)
Goal kickers: Riewoldt (4), McQualter, Milne, Dal Santo, Fisher, Hayes
Johnson (2), Hahn (2), Picken, Giansiracusa, Higgins
Best: STK – Riewoldt, Hayes, Dal Santo, Fisher, Jones
WB – Boyd, Griffen, Harbrow, Johnson, Higgins
You can follow Tom Morris on Twitter: @tommorris32
