AFL 2022 St Kilda v Gold Coast: Saints match 2019 season start with fourth consecutive victory
Stand-in coach Brendon Lade hasn’t wasted time recalling the “doom and gloom” commentary after St Kilda’s season-opening loss as the Saints continued their stunning form surge.
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St Kilda heard the naysayers in the pre-season and again after round 1 but stand-in coach Brendon Lade says the Saints were ready for their early season success.
Saturday’s 26-point victory over a Gold Coast side fresh from upsetting Carlton was St Kilda’s fourth on the trot and as good as guarantees a top-four berth by weekend’s end.
The day was made even better when Zak Jones, who has been on personal leave, gathered 28 disposals and nine clearances in the VFL in his first match this season.
Stepping in for coach Brett Ratten while he is in the AFL’s health and safety protocols, senior assistant Lade referred to a forthright mid-season meeting last year that has played a part in reversing the Saints’ fortunes.
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They have won nine of their 15 matches since that club-wide heart-to-heart in Sydney, with Lade also recalling the “doom and gloom” commentary after the season-opening loss to Collingwood.
“We had that meeting in Sydney in the middle of the year last year and we’ll refer back to it because we definitely had it,” Lade said.
“We got some things out of that which were really important for our footy club and we’ve just focused on them.
“We saw a big jump in our performance in the second half of last year and it’s just continued through the pre-season into this year, which has been great.
“Our challenge now is to keep doing that.”
Jade Gresham starred in his 100th career game, alongside captain Jack Steele, in-form defender Jack Sinclair and small forward Jack Higgins, who kicked a match-high five goals in his return from a concussion.
But Lade was also complimentary of ruckmen Rowan Marshall and Jack Hayes, who combined to quell Suns big man Jarrod Witts and serve as the midfield fire-starters.
“People look at our side and they’ve commented all year, ‘Where are all your superstars?’ but we play pretty well as a team,” he said.
“We’ve got some real clarity in our roles of what we need to do when we’re in each role and it’s up to the players to perform that and up to the coaches to keep upholding them to that.”
Midfielder Jones’ strong return at second-tier level buoyed hopes he could make a swift return to AFL level but Lade said St Kilda would not rush him.
“He got through the game really well and had a lot of possessions and a lot of clearances, which is great for him,” Lade said.
“But he’s always going to be week-to-week and we’ll monitor him and we won’t be pushing him in any sooner than we need to and he’ll be ready when he’s ready.
“If he has a good week, there’s a chance (he comes in for round 6) but if he doesn’t, he might not be.”
The kid can play as Saints make it four straight
St Kilda snatched back a top-four spot with a fourth consecutive win on Saturday, breaking away from Gold Coast to score a 26-point victory at Marvel Stadium.
The Saints matched their strong start to the 2019 season — albeit one that fell away drastically — and look on track for a finals return after being written off in some quarters.
They did it with coach Brett Ratten stuck at home in Covid protocols, with senior assistant Brendon Lade taking the reins to maintain the unbeaten record this year for stand-in coaches.
These two clubs developed a fascinating rivalry in recent years, with their previous five matches — all St Kilda wins — decided by a mere 20 points.
There was more of the same in an opening half that experienced six lead changes, including the Suns kicking three goals in a row in the second term to go nine points clear.
But the Saints took control before the main break, with captain Jack Steele a force in the clinches, and didn’t ram home the advantage only because of errant goalkicking.
One third quarter moment proved the inspiration for St Kilda to put the foot down.
A quick Saints kick out of defence seemed destined for Gold Coast pair Wil Powell and Brandon Ellis, only for the Sherrin to bounce away from them as Brad Hill stormed in to pinch it from them.
The ball was slingshot down the other end for Jack Higgins to kick one of his five goals, then Coleman Medal leader Max King soccered through his third soon after.
They led by 28 points early in the final term and were never threatened as milestone man Jade Gresham and Seb Ross supported Steele in the middle and Jack Sinclair impressed again down back.
Gold Coast failed to back up last week’s upset of Carlton and slid to 12th spot despite Touk Miller’s 32 disposals, seven inside 50s and five clearances.
This Saint is Gresh-al
It’s no coincidence St Kilda’s early season success has coincided with Jade Gresham finally having a clean run after two major injuries in as many years.
The Saints’ midfielder has at-times been described as bland and one-paced but Gresham provides a much-needed X-factor with his electric playing style.
Saturday’s clash with Gold Coast was the 24-year-old’s 100th at senior level and he wasted no time making an impact.
Gresham firstly streamed through the middle and blasted a long kick inside 50 for Jack Higgins to run onto before drilling a brilliant goal on the run, even if the Sherrin wasn’t pretty through the air.
A quality checkside finish in the final term rounded out another great day for the young star.
Oohs and ahhs for draftee
There are few better things for supporters than watching a young talent blossom.
St Kilda spent its first pick in last year’s draft on Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, whose family already has a long history in the AFL.
The 19-year-old’s looked more comfortable by the week at the highest level and some fancy footwork on the wing in the opening quarter had the Saints’ fan base audibly gasping.
Not only did Wanganeen-Milera excite his supporters but he lost Suns opponent Brayden Fiorini then delivered a neat pass to fellow first-year player Marcus Windhager.
SCOREBOARD
SAINTS 3.3 6.7 9.8 13.9 (87)
SUNS 3.1 6.1 7.4 9.7 (61)
McGOWAN’S BEST
Saints: Gresham, Steele, Higgins, Sinclair, Ross, Marshall.
Suns: Miller, Anderson, Markov, Weller, Ellis, Rowell.
GOALS
Saints: Higgins 5, King 3, Gresham 2, Hayes, Membrey, Ross.
Suns: Ainsworth 2, Corbett 2, Rankine, Casboult, Ellis, Holman, Chol.
INJURIES
Saints: None.
Suns: Chol (groin), Swallow (finger).
UMPIRES
Donlon, Fisher, Pell
VENUE
Marvel Stadium
CROWD
18,724
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
McGOWAN’S VOTES
3. J.Gresham (StK)
2. J.Steele (StK)
1. T.Miller (GC)
Dew: Suns ‘different’ despite latest defeat
Gold Coast’s inability to capitalise on a second-quarter lead against St Kilda on Saturday wasn’t a case of the same-old Suns, coach Stuart Dew says.
The AFL community is still waiting for Gold Coast to develop into a finals contender, with last week’s defeat of previously undefeated Carlton seen as a significant step in the right direction.
The Suns’ first-half competitiveness against the in-form Saints offered further promise but the resistance could not be maintained, eventually losing contested possessions and clearances by 18 each.
But Dew insists this Gold Coast is “different” to the previous versions that repeatedly enjoyed early season wins without ever kicking on despite slumping to a 2-3 record.
“I guess acknowledging the past is one thing but this is a different group. We’re a little bit more mature and a bit older,” he said.
“We won three out of our last eight (last year). Yeah, we had a couple of smackings at the back-end of last year, but, no, it feels different.
“Like today, the game wasn’t going well (but) we didn’t pack it in. The game wasn’t going well against GWS, we fought it out. Now, is that the position we want to be in? No.
“But also we came up against a red-hot Carlton and were able to get the result. We went to Perth and won a game we should have and did, and pushed Melbourne and learned a fair bit from that.”
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