AFL round 17: Saints decimated by injuries, lose 79-58 to Demons
The Saints were up against it early, losing three key players, yet their bravery was not enough to beat the Demons, as they fall back to the pack that chases their top eight spot.
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Melbourne have maintained their foothold in the top four after seeing off a brave, but decimated, St Kilda outfit by 21 points at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
The Saints lost Max King (shoulder), Seb Ross (hamstring) and Zaine Cordy (concussion) to injury in a catastrophic first term, meaning they were already down to two rotations on the bench by quarter-time.
The biggest concern is King who, in the opening minutes, hurt his reconstructed left shoulder, which he had operated on in December after dislocating it during pre-season training, while attempting to spoil Melbourne backman Steven May.
King missed the first nine games this year as he completed a lengthy rehabilitation period.
Thirteen minutes later, Seb Ross injured his hamstring and before the second quarter began, Cordy failed a concussion test after copping a knee to the back of the head when May flew over him to take a spectacular aerial grab on the Saints’ 50m arc late in the opening term.
Meanwhile, the Demons lost Harrison Petty in the final quarter due to an apparent back complaint.
However, the Saints lost few admirers as they refused to throw the towel in, and even got to within nine points of the Demons midway through the third quarter.
But despite finishing with more inside 50s (52-46) and contested possessions (137-129), they were let down by poor skill execution in their attacking zone, which played right into the hands of the Melbourne backline, in particular May who produced a stellar performance that featured 29 disposals and 12 marks (three contested).
Christian Petracca was also superb for the Demons, finishing with 20 touches and four goals.
After kicking an atrocious 23.61 combined in their previous four games, and facing the Saints without leading goalkicker Bayley Fritsch, Melbourne dramatically fixed their radar, kicking 12.7 (79) to St Kilda’s 8.10 (58).
Rowan Marshall was gallant for the Saints, the ruckman ending up with 29 possessions (17 contested), 10 marks (three), seven tackles, eight clearances and 16 hit-outs. St Kilda captain Jack Steele played one of his best games of the season as he racked up 31 disposals (13 contested), 12 tackles and a goal.
The prize on offer for the winner of this game was a spot in the top four by the end of the weekend, and the Demons have crucially now given themselves a one-game buffer on the chasing pack.
Meanwhile, the Saints could drop to sixth on the ladder by the end of the weekend, having now lost five of their last eight matches after starting the year 6-2.
St Kilda burst out to a 15-point lead after kicking three of the first four goals, but poor goalkicking prevented them from building an even bigger lead, given Mattaes Phillipou and Cordy both bungled set shots, and Cooper Sharman hit the post.
Melbourne made them pay for their inaccuracy by booting six of the next seven goals to take a 13-point lead at half-time.
SAINTS CHARGE FALLS FLAT
The Demons’ increased their advantage to 21 points early in the third period, but just as it looked like the undermanned Saints’ resistance had been broken, they bravely got back within nine points as they continued to dictate terms at the stoppages and maintained their pressure on Melbourne.
After Petracca’s third goal helped put the Demons back in front by 15 at three-quarter time, the Saints completely dominated the start of the final term with eight of the first nine inside 50s, but could only manage a pair of behinds from Mason Wood.
The Saints’ forward entries continued to be misdirected, and that was enough for Melbourne to ice the game with three of the last five goals, including Petracca’s fourth.
LATE SAINTS HOPES FADE
With just under four minutes left, and St Kilda trailing by 15 points, Mitch Owens had the chance to give the Saints a late sniff when he sent a quick snap from congestion 40m out on target. It entered a vacant goalsquare, but cruelly bounced back into play rather than over the goal line. And with 3:04 to go, Phillipou had set shot from 40m out, but he kicked out on the full.
PHILLIPOU PARTY TRICK
The Saints burnt plenty of shots on goal in the first quarter, but none were more agonising for them than when Phillipou’s quick snap from 35m out turned into a party trick as he somehow hit the top of the goal post.
SAINTS 3.5, 4.7, 6.8, 8.10 (58)
DEMONS 5.0, 7.2, 9.5, 12.7 (79)
LERNER’S BESTSaints: Marshall, Steele, Sinclair, Wanganeen-Milera, Gresham, Crouch, Webster. Demons: Petraccca, May, Sparrow, Lever, Viney, Salem, Brayshaw.
GOALS Saints: Owens 2, Gresham 2, Steele, Wood, Billings, Sharman. Demons: Petracca 4, Melksham 2, Sparrow 2, Neal-Bullen, Hunter, Brown, Langdon.
INJURIES Saints: King (shoulder), Ross (hamstring), Cordy (concussion). Demons: Petty (ribs).
UMPIRES Donlon, Foot, Stephens, Williamson
VENUE Marvel Stadium
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LERNER’S VOTES
3 Christian Petracca (Melb)
2 Steven May (Melb)
1 Rowan Marshall (StK)
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