Southern league: James Sziller best-afield as St Paul’s noses out Port Melbourne Colts

Colts coach and former Western Bulldogs star Lindsay Gilbee made a comeback at the age of 38 but one of his former VFL players booted five goals for the determined Doggies.

The wind would have blown the beard off Santa Claus.

Port Melbourne Colts was kicking with it in the last quarter.

St Paul’s, 11 points in front at the final change, was in all regards up against it.

But, as they often do, the Doggies found a way to win, by four points, at McKinnon Reserve on Saturday.

It wasn’t pretty. It was certainly gritty. And it was gusty too considering they lost talls Jack Hayes and Harry Hunt to concussion in the first half.

As the wind whistled across the oval, St Paul’s restricted the Colts to one goal in a final term that lasted only 22 and a bit minutes to hold on 8.9 (57) to 7.10 (52).

Give a chunk of credit to league medal champion Matt Kreymborg, who, all power and poise, often thwarted the visitors as they went forward.

He must be the best No 88 in the history of football.

Kreymborg played a fine game, but he couldn’t touch James Sziller as best-afield.

Lindsay Gilbee came out of retirement to play for the Colts.

The little left-footer kicked five of his team’s eight goals, prompting St Paul’s coach Jason Heffernan to declare he should be getting a game at his VFL club, Sandringham.

His father, Steve, the former Saint and Tiger, watched on from the fence, as did other former Doggies gathered for the past players and officials day.

Two of Sziller’s goals came late in the third quarter after St Paul’s, despite having the wind, fell five points behind, Brad Sutcliffe and Tyler Jones booting crucial majors for the Port Melbourne team.

Kreymborg split Sziller’s goals with a cracker of his own, taking the ball from a ruck contest and steering it through.

Colts coach and former Western Bulldogs star Lindsay Gilbee pulled a surprise by making a comeback at the age of 38.

It was prompted by the club’s decision to release Chris Deluca so he could watch his brother Josh play his first match for Carlton.

The ball drops nicely for Doggie Nick Halliday in a ruck contest with Colts big man Matthew Dalla-Libera.

Gilbee wore the No 85 jumper and went out despite not having trained for eight months.

In the second quarter Gilbee — who in his time in the AFL made his reputation as a master kick — took the ball from outside 50, sold more candy than Willy Wonka and banged it through, to briefly give his team the lead.

But as he came back on to the ground for the third quarter he quipped to a spectator: “I’m too old for this.’’

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After the match he sat slumped against a wall in the changerooms, icing his calves.

The Colts could have done with Deluca’s brilliance in a low-scoring game, but Gilbee said: “You couldn’t begrudge him that chance to see his brother. In the end, in a close one, it probably hurt. But they (St Paul’s) had players out too.’’

He said he was proud of his team’s performance.

“I thought we dominated the last quarter but didn’t get reward for effort,’’ he said.

“I was just saying to the guys before, you can lose games and not be happy, and you can lose games and be proud of the effort. I was proud of our effort.’’

Jaye Edmunds boots St Paul's forward.

Strong-marking ruckman Matthew Dalla-Libera, who was sent off in the first quarter, was outstanding for the Colts, as was defender Max Mitchell-Russell.

The hard tackling Matt Sondergeld and the skilful Sutcliffe were also influential.

Ironically, Gilbee coached Sziller at Sandringham in 2017.

“Yeah, I gave him his first opportunity. He hunts the ball, he tackles, he’s a really good kid,’’ he said. “He was the difference in the end.’’

Heffernan agreed. He said St Paul’s had been expecting the left-footer to be picked at Sandringham for the past month.

“We’d love him to get a game. I hope they pay attention to local footy,’’ he said.

The Doggies’ other VFL-lister, Alex Spencer (Collingwood), was exceptional in defence, supported by Brendan Dawes.

St Paul's coach Jason Heffernan at the huddle.

Heffernan said it was a “great, great win’’ for his team.

“Well done to the guys. They just gutsed it out, didn’t they?’’ he said.

“I was always thinking they would get what they deserved, that if they worked hard they would get the result.

“We are outsized every week, but they give it everything. I’m super proud of them.’’

St Paul’s is second on the ladder at 10-3, behind Cheltenham only on percentage.

Port Melbourne Colts are 6-7 and sixth, a game away from fifth-placed Bentleigh.