‘Disgraceful way to play’: Ross Lyon, St Kilda cop flak for low-scoring, flood brand

They may have been back in the winners’ books after a thriller over the Suns, but St Kilda and Ross Lyon won few fans with their style of play, writes JAY CLARK.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 08: Ross Lyon, Senior Coach of the Saints addresses his players during the 2024 AFL Round 13 match between the St Kilda Saints and the Gold Coast SUNS at Marvel Stadium on June 08, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The finger was pointed straight at St Kilda.

Whether its perceptions from yesteryear or just a shallow look at the score line, St Kilda stood accused of flooding in its three-point win over Gold Coast on Saturday night.

It was far from a pretty contest, and it is true the Saints have had major dramas hitting the scoreboard this year.

But when it comes to intent and the question of game style, the Saints not only didn’t flood against the Suns at Marvel Stadium, a considerable chunk of the game was played in St Kilda’s front half.

The Saints this year average 12 possession chains from the attacking side of midfield this year. Against Gold Coast they had a season-high 21. Gold Coast had 15.

The Saints also won 10 more clearances and had 11 more inside 50s than the Suns.

Ross Lyon has come under fire for coaching a boring brand of football. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

If Ross Lyon’s men were trying to flood in Terry Wallace fashion as it was suggested on Channel 9 on Sunday, the numbers suggest they failed miserably because the ball was often in St Kilda’s front half when the Suns weren’t going sideways or backwards.

Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick said after the game it was a “horrible” match and admitted they were, in part, to blame for the aesthetics. The Suns had 54 marks and 13 more backwards kicks than the Saints.

They don’t normally muck around with the footy, the Suns, but on Saturday night they did.

But Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes took aim at the Saints on Sunday, declaring it a “disgraceful way to play football”. They are cutting words from a respected analyst.

“It was the old-fashioned flood. It was a Terry Wallace flood. Everyone is back,” Cornes said.

Western Bulldogs and Richmond superstar Nathan Brown also saw limited upside in the game style.

“Who are the St Kilda players charging back the other way when they win the football?” Brown said.

So I see the Saints flood is back...

When the Suns have 6 of the 8 players in the Saints front HALF despite being nearly 4 goals up, you know it's an ugly game. #AFLSaintsSuns

— ArjsEye (@ArjsEye) June 8, 2024

“I just feel like Ross Lyon has got them playing a really taxing brand of football.

“When they win it they can’t run it and then they can’t score, so when they come up against the better sides they are not going to be able to kick a winning score.”

But is St Kilda’s biggest headache the game style or execution and talent? The Suns had nine players taken in the top-six picks of the national draft playing against the Saints on Saturday night.

They are Ben King, Jed Walter, Ben Ainsworth, Bailey Humphrey, Jack Lukosius, Mac Andrew, Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson and David Swallow.

There is elite talent everywhere in red and yellow, and they seem bound for a crack at the top-four next year.

But the Saints don’t have anywhere near the same top-end types.

Marcus Windhager and the Saints have been playing dour footy. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images.

When the Saints generated a forward 50m entry from their 21 attacking midfield possession gains on Saturday night, they scored only 1.5.

The problem was not the flooding, it was that the team butchered it in the middle and front half.

And to be fair, it is something that has happened on repeat this year at St Kilda.

Former Collingwood and Carlton superstar Dale Thomas said it was system and effort that allowed St Kilda to get the points over a more talented Gold Coast outfit.

The Suns did not score a single goal from a defensive midfield possession gain on Saturday night which is normally a strength.

“This was a Ross Lyon masterclass,” Thomas said on Triple M.

St Kilda great Leigh Montagna said the Saints’ turnovers in the midfield hurt them.

“They had 44 turnovers between the arcs which is well above the AFL average … and their only problem was that they couldn’t finish their play inside 50m,” Montagna said.

“It is finger-deep analysis to say St Kilda sat back and flooded when really they turned the ball over all game.

“They got a lot of good looks, they just weren’t able to take their chances.”

Originally published as ‘Disgraceful way to play’: Ross Lyon, St Kilda cop flak for low-scoring, flood brand