West Coast Eagles force St Kilda to walk AFL finals tightrope

A top-four finish looms for a depleted West Coast after an against the odds 15-point win over St Kilda at a wet Gabba on Thursday night.

St Kilda’s Dean Kent gets a handball away against the Eagles as West Coast stormed home to swamp the Saints in the final 10 minutes at the Gabba. Picture: Getty Images

A top-four finish looms for a depleted West Coast after an against-the-odds win, 9.11 (65) to 6.14 (50), over St Kilda at a wet Gabba on Thursday night.

But the Saints’ hopes of playing finals footy for the first time since 2011 have taken a hit after they failed to overcome an Eagles side already missing five premiership-winning midfielders and reeling from a first half hamstring injury to key defender Jeremy McGovern.

The Eagles (11-6 record) overcame a fourth term Saints fightback to not only lock up a finals spot but provisionally leapfrog Richmond into fourth spot with one regular season clash left.

The Saints (9-7) get one last chance to earn a finals spot if they defeat GWS next Friday.

St Kilda grabbed a 10-point first-term lead but were held scoreless in the second quarter as the Eagles secured a 5.6 (36) to 3.5 (23) halftime buffer.

After a goalless third term, the Saints kicked three majors in the fourth quarter’s first seven minutes to lead by eight but the Eagles responded with the final four including one from best on ground Tim Kelly (29 touches).

Quite simply four-time All-Australian McGovern could not take a trick at the Gabba.

The key defender was already under an injury cloud coming into the round 17 clash nursing a dislocated thumb suffered in their last round loss to Western Bulldogs.

And he quickly found himself in the wars against the Saints, copping a stray elbow from Max King vying for a pack mark midway through the first term.

A groggy McGovern was bleeding from the cheek as he was escorted from the field, sparking fears he may have suffered a facial fracture.

There was relief when McGovern returned to the field in the second term after a 20 minute rest via concussion protocols, slotting straight back into the action.

However the Eagles’ joy was short-lived with McGovern joining West Coast’s already packed injury list when he immediately grabbed his hamstring after diving for the ball late in the first half and will now be battling to regain his fitness for the finals.

NCA Newswire