No pride in St Kilda’s performance with game all over in 27 minutes against Sydney

IT was billed as the season’s annual Pride Game but this was obscene. St Kilda put in a shameful performance against Sydney, they were utterly humiliated.

Jack Lonie and Jack Steven after St Kilda’s huge loss to Sydney. Picture: Michael Klein

IT was billed as the season’s annual Pride Game and played out shamefully for St Kilda.

In fact, shamefully is being kind. The 71-point hammering at the hands of Sydney was flat out embarrassing.

After just 27 minutes the scoreboard read 9.1 (55) to 0.1 (1).

On a night where Etihad Stadium opened its rest rooms to all genders in the name of diversity, coach Alan Richardson’s Saints were quickly flushed down the toilet.

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Let’s cut to the chase. The obvious question to emerge was whether this was a loss which could rattle Richardson.

After competitive losses against top-eight clubs Collingwood, Richmond and West Coast that seems a little rash.

But a repeat of their effort against the woeful Gold Coast Suns next week would be a different story.

Richardson is contracted for the next 54 home-and-away games, although that will provide little comfort when his head hits the pillow.

Sydney’s Tom Papley sidesteps past Nick Coffield. Picture: Michael Klein

Former Western Bulldog and Richmond star Nathan Brown wondered whether the result would cost Richardson his job.

In a season renowned for ugly congestion, these Saints were unable to stifle Sydney’s ball movement and the Swans booted three goals from their first three forward entries.

Luke Parker marked on the lead in front of Daniel McKenzie, Callum Sinclair snapped under little pressure and then Tom McCartin capitalised on a down-field free kick.

The space the Swans enjoyed was staggering. St Kilda defender Jimmy Webster’s two spearing kicks in the first 10 minutes generated threatening inside 50s.

So it made little sense for Webster, on the wing, to kick backwards minutes later.

Logan Austin and Mav Weller retreated to the defensive goalsquare, the Swans manned-up and created a turnover at half-forward.

It led to Lance Franklin’s first goal in a passage which smacked of a team playing without belief.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson gives his players a spray at quarter-time. Picture: Michael Klein

After Tom Papley snapped a goal from a stoppage, Josh Kennedy roved the centre hitout and launched a long clearance towards Franklin.

Surrounded by three Saints, Franklin juggled a mark and kicked Sydney eight goals clear after just 22 minutes.

Injured captain Jarryn Geary watched on helplessly from the coach’s box, Richardson ranted from the interchange bench and frustrated supporters barked like wild dogs on social media.

Last season the Saints were known for their pressure, which choked GWS in a Friday night victory.

This season they are ranked 18th for pressure.

In the backline’s defence, it lacked leaders. Geary sat in the box, Jake Carlisle (suspended), Dylan Roberton (heart) and the ageing Sam Gilbert (thumb) sat in the stands while Nathan Brown sustained am early concussion.

Swans superstar Lance Franklin marks in front of Nathan Brown. Picture: Michael Klein

There were also six kids with less than 20 games — Bailey Rice, Ed Phillips, Hunter Clark, Nick Coffield, Logan Austin and Josh Battle.

But at quarter-time Jack Steven, a three-time best-and-fairest winner, had registered one ineffective kick, Paddy McCartin hadn’t touched it and Jack Billings was thinking about today’s VFL game.

At three-quarter time the Saints led inside 50s 40-37 yet they trailed by 75 points.

The Saints thought they were far closer to a premiership than a wooden spoon but sit 16th on the ladder and without a win since Round 1.

This season the Saints have drawn crowds of just 23,731, 19,324, 14,956, 25,496, 33,994 (against Collingwood) and last night’s 27,569.

Plenty of them had cleared out by the final term, pride the furthest thing from their mind.

It will be a hard sell to get them back this season.

ST KILDA 1.1 3.8 4.10 7.13 (55)

SYDNEY 9.1 14.3 17.7 19.12 (126)

GOALS

Saints: Battle 2, Sinclair, McCartin, Weller, Membrey, Gresham

Swans: Franklin 4, Sinclair 3, Papley 2, Hayward 2, Rohan 2, Parker 2, McCartin, Heeney, Jones, Kennedy

BEST

Saints: Webster, Rice, Battle

Swans: Kennedy, Heeney, Franklin, Sinclair, Parker, Ronke, Lloyd, Florent, Hewett

INJURIES

Saints: Brown (concussion)

Swans: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Dalgleish, Nicholls, Gianfagna

Official Crowd: 27,569 at Etihad Stadium