St Kilda defeats Collingwood by 29 points at the MCG in Round 3

A LISTLESS Collingwood has slumped to a 29-point loss to an inspired St Kilda, who somehow evoked the spirit of 1966 to produce a brave win against the odds at the MCG.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 09: Maverick Weller of the Saints celebrates a goal during the round three AFL match between the St Kilda Saints and the Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 9, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

ON a day in which St Kilda celebrated the 50th anniversary of its most memorable win, the modern-day Saints yesterday produced one of the club’s bravest victories to embarrass Collingwood by 29 points.

Injury-ravaged, with three players off the ground for most of the second half, including skipper Nick Riewoldt, and down to one player rotating off the bench, the young Saints somehow managed to evoke the spirit of ‘66 to bring about the club’s first win since Round 17 last year.

As illuminating as the game was for St Kilda, and its future, it was dark and bleak for Collingwood, who are now a shadow of the exciting, undefeated NAB Challenge team from just a month ago.

Jack Steven celebrates a goal with David Armitage and Jack Lonie. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

It was one of the greatest wins of Alan Richardson’s tenure as coach, and on the flip side, one of the most frustrating for his counterpart in Nathan Buckley, who watched on miserably from the coaches’ box.

The Magpies could well be 0-3 if it hadn’t been for the near-larceny of Brodie Grundy’s matchwinning goal in the dying seconds against Richmond last week.

But as it stands right now, the 1-2 win-loss record doesn’t do justice to the manner in which Collingwood is playing right now, nor the work it collectively needs to do to stop their season sliding out of control.

Put simply, they were outworked, outbussled, outran and completely outplayed by a team that was intent on honouring the men who brought about St Kilda’s one and only premiership side.

Those greats from 1966, who attended yesterday’s game ahead of a dinner last night and who mingled with the 2016 side before the game, once more had the last laugh on the Magpies.

St Kilda had worked exceptionally hard to lead by two points at the halftime break, having kicked six opening quarter goals — one more than they kicked in the match last week.

But they looked ripe for the picking when the teams came out after halftime, with the Saints minus Riewoldt and fellow key forward Paddy McCartin, who both copped head knocks.

Neither took any further part and when Dylan Roberton went down with a knee midway through the third term, it appeared as if the lack of rotations would be a telling factor.

But Richardson’s team ran out the game as well as their opponents, slicing through the Magpies’ defensive net as if they had been armed with a machete. Too often the ball went into Collingwood front half, and came back with speed and system.

Buckley was deeply annoyed by the lack of pressure applied across the ground for much of the game, and targeted his frustration at the forwards at quarter-time.

Leigh Montagna seemed to barely have an opponent all day, helping himself to 40 disposals. He started the transition from defence to attack with ease, and had 21 handball receives.

Jack Steven kicked three goals and gave great drive; Jack Newnes had a career-best 34 touches and a game-high eight inside 50s; Seb Ross was good from the outset; and Jack Billings was as sleek and systematic as Saints fans knew he could be.

Billings missed most of last year due to injury, but turned in a sublime performance yesterday, kicking a critical last term goal and going at more than 80 per cent efficiency.

Sam Fisher cut out Travis Cloke, and the Magpies’ forward somehow needs to find a way out of his lengthy form slump or he risks being dropped back to the VFL soon.

Sean Dempster had the better of Darcy Moore, while Tom Hickey, Mav Weller and Shane Savage all played important roles for the team.

Collingwood persisted with Scott Pendlebury at half-back for much of the game, and he only went into the centre midway through the third term, when the Saints were piling on the goals. Surely, he must be back in the middle for next week’s game against Melbourne.

Taylor Adams tried hard throughout the match, as did Tom Langdon, but too much was left to too few. And, critically, that’s been the problem with Collingwood this year.

St Kilda: 18.11 (119)

Collingwood: 14.6 (90)

GOALS

St Kilda: Weller 3, Steven 3, Riewoldt 2, Bruce 2, Gilbert 2, Billings 2, Sinclair, McCartin, Lonie, Armitage

Collingwood: Fasolo 2, Cloke 2, de Goey 2, Pendlebury 2, Howe, Aish, Crisp, Oxley, Langdon, Adams

BEST

St Kilda: Montagna, Steven, Billings, Newnes, Fisher, Hickey, Dempster, Ross, Savage, Weller,

Collingwood: Adams, Langdon, Pendlebury, Oxley

INJURIES

St Kilda: Riewoldt (concussion), McCartin (concussion), Roberton (knee)

Collingwood: Williams (toe)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Hosking, Hay, McInerney

Official crowd: 50,903 at the MCG

VOTES:

3: Leigh Montagna (St Kild)

2: Jack Steven (St Kilda)

1: Jack Billings (St Kilda)

Originally published as St Kilda defeats Collingwood by 29 points at the MCG in Round 3