St Kilda frighteningly exposed by North Melbourne and look as far away from finals as Seaford

WHAT St Kilda dished up on Good Friday against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium was more wet lettuce than anything close to sexy and look as far away from finals as a trip to Seaford.

Paddy McCartin and Kayne Turner exchange pleasantries. Picture: Michael Klein

THE move back to Moorabbin was nice, but St Kilda need to change a heck of a lot more than their training base.

For while the homecoming may have romance, what the Saints dished up on Good Friday at Etihad Stadium was more wet lettuce than anything close to sexy.

Even for a supporter group familiar with disappointment, this defeat at the hands of North Melbourne — as unloved as any club — was galling.

BLOG: RE-CAP ALL THE GOOD FRIDAY FOOTBALL ACTION

Exposed defensively and fumbly and indecisive offensively, the Saints were thrashed by 52 points in an ugly game with an ugly score — 13.17 (95) to 5.13 (43) in front of 33,966.

The Kangaroos kicked 6.10 from set shots and yet were still able to win decisively on the back of 25 more inside 50s.

Frighteningly, in the second half the inside 50m count was 41-16 in North’s favour.

David Armitage and Koby Stevens after the match.

Already, these are worrying times for Alan Richardson and co.

Losses to Carlton and Melbourne in the JLT Series, an unconvincing win over the rebuilding Brisbane Lions at home in Round 1 and now this.

This is supposed to be the year the Saints soar back into the finals mix in Richardson’s fifth year in charge. We’re only a fortnight into the season, but on the evidence shown they look a Seaford trip away from September.

The fact is, only North Melbourne’s shoddy kicking for goal kept them in this contest and when the Roos’ radar finally locked on with seven straight goals to open the last quarter, the frustration boiled over in the stands.

A Saints fan stormed up to the St Kilda bench, leaned up over the glass partition and screamed abuse at the players on the bench.

To salt the wound, Paddy McCartin’s quiet game was compounded with his report for a crude late hit into the back of Trent Dumont in the third quarter.

Jack Steven gives Billy Hartung the slip. Picture: Michael Klein

Ben Cunnington pushes away from Paddy McCartin.

Ruckman Billy Longer, desperate to make a statement after lowering his colours to Stef Martin last week, copped a blow to the groin and struggled to cover the ground.

The pre-season goes for four months, but St Kilda looked like they’d been preparing for four minutes.

Without the ball they split open at will by North, who regularly found loose players on the fat side of the ground in the attacking half.

For a team whose trademark is pressure, the Saints looked a bit meek at times today. Sure the bounce back will be extreme. Richo can't accept that nonsense.

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) March 30, 2018

3.3 to 13.7 after half-time. Smack in the mouth for Saints. Very disappointing. Kangas with supposed heavy legs run right through, around and over their opposition.

— Mark Robinson (@Robbo_heraldsun) March 30, 2018

The Saints can't beat North Melbourne and have Adelaide, Geelong, GWS, Hawthorn and Melbourne to come. They have crucified themselves today. My goodness. #AFLNorthSaints

— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) March 30, 2018

With the ball they lacked purpose. In fact, as an outsider, it looked worse. It looked like they didn’t know what they were supposed to be doing.

The three-pronged forward line — Josh Bruce, Paddy McCartin and Tim Membrey — isn’t working. That trio finished with three behinds between them.

While Richardson preferred to only play two inside 50m at any one time, the Saints couldn’t, or wouldn’t, go to them direct.

There were backwards handballs and dinky sideways kicks and on the rare occasions a fast break did materialise the delivery was poor or they couldn’t capitalise.

At halftime, with the scores locked at 2.10 (22), this looked a match between two bottom-four teams.

At one point North was 1.10 from set shots, but while they were caught in a flood last week, they eventually made it rain goals to turn this match.

Ben Brown kicked six goals in North Melbourne’s win.

North Melbourne players sing the song after beating St Kilda.

Ben Brown kicked six goals and at one stage had five of North’s seven. In a game plagued by errors, his honest jump at the high ball shone and exquisite finishing shone like a beacon.

Jarrad Waite and Shaun Higgins were equally clinical in the front half, while Ben Jacobs — virtually the last of the AFL’s taggers — kept Seb Ross under control.

It may have been Good Friday, but for St Kilda it was far from a Good Friday.

BEST

North Melbourne: B.Brown, J.Waite, S.Higgins, T.Goldstein, R.Tarrant, B.Jacobs

St Kilda: J.Carlisle, J.Webster, J.Steven, J.Geary

VOTES

3. Ben Brown (Nth Melb)

2. Jarrad Waite (Nth Melb)

1. Shaun Higgins (Nth Melb)