AFL Round 23 St Kilda v Geelong: All the news and analysis as young Saints cause boilover at Marvel Stadium

Geelong led by six goals at half-time on Saturday night, seemingly set to lock down a double-chance in September. Then, the Saints came with the blitz, leaving the Cats in the dust.

Geelong coach Chris Scott says he won’t sweep his side’s second-half fade out “under the carpet” but said Marvel Stadium conditions played a role in the Cats’ costly defeat.

With Geelong’s chance of a top-two finish and home final all but going begging in the 18-point loss to St Kilda, Scott said a listless second half had surprised him.

“(The players) are not morons. The missed opportunity … clearly we’re disappointed, we knew what was at stake,” he said after the game.

“The question now is how much do you dwell on that missed opportunity, as opposed to how much you focus on the opportunity that’s in front of us.

“In terms of missed opportunity, I don’t know a team in the comp that hasn’t been rueing certain sections of the season, so as much as anything, the challenge seems to be not allowing that to snowball.”

The Cats blew a chance to lock down a finish in the top four. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Scott said repeat contest losses across the ground had made it difficult to adjust as the Saints produced “scintillating footy” he likened to the Harlem Globetrotters after halftime.

“We were throwing things around left, right and centre but we just kept getting beaten in contests, which is very hard to manage from off the field,” he said.

“When we were able to go forward in that third quarter in particular, they just kept marking it, so that bit is out of character for us.

“We know that (the Saints) can do that, they are Marvel specialists, play here a lot, it’s our first game here (this season) – but that’s not an excuse, because we saw what the first half looked like.”

Scott said the Cats’ coaches would not dwell on the defeat too long as it was “very unlikely” they would return to Marvel Stadium in September.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says “everything counts” as a host of senior Saints without contracts for next season continue to fight for their AFL careers.

Lyon said he could only laugh at suggestions the Saints’ final games were meaningless as he indicated performances against Carlton next Sunday would hold important weight in the club’s list management decisions.

Out-of-contract trio Tim Membrey (30), Mason Wood (30) and Zak Jones (29) were all significant contributors against Geelong on Saturday night and have maintained strong form through a seven-game stretch which has yielded five wins.

The Saints are finishing the season strong. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Lyon said there was plenty on the line for those players in the final rounds as he revealed 31-year-old defender Jimmy Webster had a contract in front of him to play on next season.

Seb Ross, 31, remains without a deal and is unlikely to face the Blues as he pushes to return from a calf injury which has sidelined him since round 14.

“Yeah, everything counts, Jimmy (Webster) has signed. Everything counts, every time you roll up, we all get judged, right? That’s why I laugh when everyone says ‘there’s not much to play for’,” Lyon said after the 18-point win over the Cats.

“I was a bit cheeky, but (when people asked) are you experimenting, I wouldn’t have thought so.

“We’ve got a huge responsibility to our members, our fans, our sponsors, to be a serious footy club and improve.

“I’m not really here to talk about list management, but every moment counts, we all get judged all the time.”

THE REMARKABLE SAINTS BLITZ THAT LEAVES FANS ASKING ‘WHAT IF’?

A remarkable 51-point second-half turnaround from St Kilda has kept Geelong under pressure to retain its top-four spot in a boilover at Marvel Stadium.

Saints fans could be forgiven for wondering “what if?” after Ross Lyon’s side produced its fourth seven-goal quarter since round 14 to wipe away the Cats’ 33-point halftime advantage on the way to a comfortable win on Saturday night.

The devastating third-quarter blitz led by first-year speedster Darcy Wilson (seven disposals and 2.2) and leaders Jack Steele, Callum Wilkie and Rowan Marshall displayed a level of firepower that not all the finals teams possess, and the Saints followed that with another six final-quarter goals to cap off a commanding win.

Mitch Owens celebrates during St Kilda’s win over Geelong. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

It left major questions surrounding Geelong’s midfield after a bright start, with Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Stewart quelled after halftime amid damning numbers which included the Saints gathering 40 more disposals but also laying four more tackles in the third term.

Geelong is likely to need to beat West Coast to secure the finals double chance, and its percentage could now be too low to break back into the top two even if Port Adelaide and GWS lose their round 24 fixtures.

The Cats’ defence struggled under the Saints’ weight of supply in the second half as Jack Higgins stood up with 3.1 and Cooper Sharman, Mitch Owens and Dan Butler all seized chances to seal the surprise victory.

Owens’ season could end a week early if the MRO decides he attacked the ball incorrectly when he went side-on in the final quarter and caught Tom Stewart in the head in a fierce contest on the wing.

St Kilda could also be without Brad Hill, who was subbed out with a back complaint, and Anthony Caminiti (wrist) for its round 24 clash against Carlton.

Jack Sinclair catches Cat Tom Stewart. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

DOOR AJAR FOR HAWK

Shannon Neale looked ominous early when he threw aside Dougal Howard to take a strong mark and kick the Cats’ first goal of the night, but it’s hard to say the fourth-year tall has done enough to hold off a returning Tom Hawkins.

Neale has booted at least one goal in all 12 of his games this season and has provided an important deep anchor with Cameron roaming higher up the ground.

But the 22-year-old will need to do more against West Coast next week to hold down a finals spot, because while his future is clearly bright, the retiring Cats champion will be trusted to match his current output in September.

LIST CRUNCH LOOMS

For the last six weeks, uncontracted midfielder Zak Jones has been playing out of his skin to remain at Moorabbin and was among the Saints’ best again with 21 disposals.

His form complicates matters for St Kilda’s list management as they determine which senior players they should keep – Seb Ross, Jimmy Webster and Tim Membrey are all without deals for 2025, while Brad Crouch could bow out with a year on his contract after battling a degenerative knee issue all season.

If it comes down to a decision between Ross and Jones for a senior midfielder to keep on next season, do the Saints reward Ross’ unwavering loyalty over 13 seasons or pick the better performer this season?

Patrick Dangerfield attempts to break away from Paddy Dow. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

ARC HEAD-SCRATCHER

The first quarter had one of the quirkier score review stoppages in recent times after Darcy Wilson lunged for a bouncing ball near goal but it clipped above his knee before going through.

The goal umpire didn’t see it that way though, and despite Wilson’s disappointed body language waved through a goal before the ball was taken back to the middle.

Most Saints and Cats stayed in position knowing it would eventually be overruled on review, but the umpires setting up for a centre bounce meant Geelong’s kick-in was delayed by more than a minute, leaving Chris Scott visibly irritated in the coaches’ box.

Scoreboard

SAINTS 0.3, 3.6, 10.10, 16.11 (107)

CATS 3.2, 9.3, 10.4, 14.5 (89)

BOURKE’S BEST Saints: Wilson, Marshall, Wilkie, Higgins, Steele, Jones. Cats: Humphries, Dangerfield, J Henry, Dempsey, Stengle, Holmes.

GOALS Saints: Higgins 3, Wilson 2, Sharman 2, Owens 2, Steele 2, Wood, Marshall, Membrey, Hill, Butler. Cats: Mannagh 2, Stengle 2, Cameron 2, Neale, O Henry, Knevitt, Dangerfield, Dempsey, Rohan, Stanley.

UMPIRES Howorth, Nicholls, Whetton, Young.

INJURIES Saints: Caminiti (wrist), Hill (back). Cats: nil.

CROWD 31,945 at Marvel Stadium

BOURKE’S VOTES

3. Darcy Wilson (StK)

2. Rowan Marshall (StK)

1. Callum Wilkie (StK)

Originally published as AFL Round 23 St Kilda v Geelong: All the news and analysis as young Saints cause boilover at Marvel Stadium