Saints send finals warning

St Kilda   143 defeated Collingwood   70

St Kilda continued their rise in form in the lead-up to the finals with a 73–point win over a Collingwood side lacking the skill and structure to challenge a genuine premiership contender.

With only three goals up to half-time, it was obvious that the Pies lacked the firepower up front to trouble their more accomplished opponents. St Kilda constantly swept the ball from defence into a scoring position, capitalising on Collingwood’s too-few options in attack and poor use of the ball.

Despite a mini-charge in the third term – Collingwood kicked five goals for the term, including a run of three in a row – the Saints were never in any real danger and saw off the meagre challenge to chalk up their fourth-straight win.

But the win came at a cost for St Kilda. Ruckman Cain Ackland suffered a serious knee injury, Xavier Clarke tore a hamstring in the early stages and key defender Max Hudghton was rested after hurting his hip in a clash with Alan Didak. The All-Australian contender is expected to be fit for next week.

Didak was also injured in the clash with a minor knee injury, while impressive youngster Sean Rusling came off with a serious shoulder injury and will miss a number of weeks.

Justin Koschitzke continued his red hot form with another bag of five goals, while Stephen Milne and Brent Guerra chipped in with four each, Milne setting up several others. Luke Ball was sensational through the middle with 32 disposals and Lenny Hayes gathered 26 possessions and laid five tackles.

Magpie captain Nathan Buckley was a workhorse around the ground, picking up 26 touches with little support from his midfield. Star defender James Clement kept Fraser Gehrig to one goal until three-quarter-time, while youngster Heath Shaw made an encouraging debut with 22 possessions with limited game time.

There was one late change for Collingwood, with young midfielder Adam Iacobucci replacing full-back Simon Prestigiacomo, who was forced out with a bout of flu.

After Tarkyn Lockyer opened the scoring for the Pies, St Kilda booted the next four majors before Leon Davis snagged a goal before quarter-time to reduce the margin to 12 points at the first change.

St Kilda continued their around-the-ground dominance into the second term and kicked the first two goals, before Leon Davis kicked Collingwood’s only major of the quarter.

The Saints put through the next three goals to make it five goals to one for the stanza, and St Kilda went into the half-time break 38 points ahead.

Milne was the star of the first half for St Kilda with two goals in each term, while Ball had 17 disposals and Sam Fisher 14 (including eight rebound-50s).

Davis was a shining light for the Pies up forward, kicking two of his side’s three first-half goals, while Buckley was working hard around the ground with 16 possessions.

It was goal-for-goal at the start of the third stanza, before Ryan Lonie split slammed home a trademark running goal, Chris Tarrant booted his second of the game and Scott Burns converted from 30-metres out following a free kick at the centre bounce and a 50-metre penalty to bridge the gap to 22 points.

But a free kick and 50-metre penalty – a mirror image of the last Magpie goal but in reverse – allowed Koschitzke to kick his third goal and end the Pies’ run, and the Saints went on to kick the next three to finish off the term 48 points in front.

The final quarter was a procession, with St Kilda formalising their thumping of Collingwood with five goals to two to run out convincing winners – it was St Kilda’s biggest ever win over Collingwood - and send a warning to those above them on the ladder that they are back in the premiership hunt.

St Kilda has an important test against Melbourne at the MCG next Saturday, while Collingwood takes on the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome next Sunday.

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