St Kilda jumped back into the top eight with a 31-point win against Gold Coast

THE quality was off and the crowd was low. The Saints got the win but we should all feel lucky this wasn’t Gary Ablett’s 300th game. He deserves better.

Jack Billings fires off a handball for St Kilda. Picture: George Salpigtidis

JAKE Carlisle’s move to St Kilda attracted a sea of headlines which continued long after the trade paperwork was lodged.

After negotiations with Essendon — as drawn-out as they were tense — were completed, a snapchat scandal and then drugs suspension hijacked Carlisle’s first 12 months at his new club.

The trade saga included Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson’s unannounced arrival at Carlisle’s Florida hotel, hoping to convince the holidaying key defender to consider an 11th hour move to the Hawks instead.

Last October St Kilda added another gorilla defender, Collingwood’s Nathan Brown, as coach Alan Richardson’s backline makeover was completed.

There were no four-time premiership coaches visiting Brown’s Ballarat base, hoping to thwart the free agent signing at Seaford.

But 14 rounds into 2017, Brown’s impact is on the same scale as Carlisle.

On Sunday the no-frills negator kept Gold Coast captain Tom Lynch goalless in an unassuming but unrelenting display.

Brown, 28, has rarely been beaten this season. His tandem act with Carlisle has helped defenders Dylan Roberton (20 disposals) and Sam Gilbert get off the chain.

Nathan Brown (middle) is having a brilliant year for St Kilda. Picture: Getty Images

Saints’ list chief Ameet Bains labelled Brown a “handy acquisition” last October and, value for money, he has been a shrewd find four years after the Saints unsuccessfully tried to lure twin brother Mitch Brown.

Brown’s game-low six disposals won’t flash across the highlights reel, but Jack Billings’ will.

The out-of-contract star tracked at 80 per cent for his 30 disposals with his scoreboard impact reminiscent of the junior form which prompted the Saints to draft him at No.3.

For the first 45 minutes on Sunday the atmosphere wasn’t far off a TAC Cup grand final.

Jade Gresham lifted it, when he lifted himself above Jack Leslie to take the most spectacular mark of his young career.

But the skinny crowd’s adrenaline was short lived. Gresham’s set-shot was lucky to sneak a behind, and the mistake-riddled game of keepings-off quickly resumed.

Gold Coast Suns players walk off after the loss. Picture: George Salpigtidis

The Suns were happy with that. They weren’t when Lynch finally took his first set-shot, and sprayed it out on the full.

You almost felt relieved for injured champion Gary Ablett, who deserves to celebrate his 300th match in front of more eyeballs and in a game closer to the quality of his career.

The game sorely lacked a lick of class and Lynch’s counterpart — Nick Riewoldt — provided that, as he goaled from a tight set-shot deep in the second term.

Riewoldt’s second, set up by Billings dart, gave St Kilda the lead nearing halftime. Billings then made it 11 points at the main change with a long goal of his own.

The Saints played the role of the Etihad Stadium doorman in the second half — happy to keep it open, unable to slam it shut.

And Riewoldt endured a 2010 Grand Final replay reminder in the final quarter, when he was brought down by Jack Leslie running into an open goal.

He should’ve put St Kilda 25 points clear, but instead the gap was cut to 13 by Jarrod Witts moments later.

Goals to Josh Bruce and Carlisle finally killed the contest and Luke Dunstan put an exclamation mark on a sloppy victory.

This one was closer to mare than magical, the outlier from a marvellous Round 14.

VOTES

3. Jack Billings (St K)

2. Jarryd Lyons (GC)

1. Jack Steven (St K)

BEST: ST KILDA: Billings, Steven, Stevens, Sinclair, Dunstan, Ross, Riewoldt, Brown, Carlisle

GOLD COAST: Lyons, Harbrow, Fiorini, Hanley, Miller, Leslie, Martin

Originally published as St Kilda jumped back into the top eight with a 31-point win against Gold Coast