TonyK
CibbuanoSaints smash dismal Dees
June 1st 2008 07:41
ST KILDA has kept its finals hopes alive with a 79-point demolition of Melbourne at Telstra Dome on Sunday afternoon.
The Saints, desperate to atone for last weekend's disappointing performance against Brisbane, thrashed the bottom-placed Demons 19.15 (129) to 7.8 (50) in a match that didn't reach any great heights.
The win puts the Saints within half a game of eighth-placed North Melbourne after 10 rounds.
Nick Dal Santo, Luke Ball and Leigh Montagna were prominent in the middle, while Jason Gram and Sam Fisher generated plenty of run off half-back, racking up 27 possessions each.
Former Sydney Swan Adam Schneider starred with five goals, while Stephen Milne also chimed in with three majors. St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt worked tirelessly across half-forward, finishing the match with 21 possessions, 13 marks and one goal.
The loss was made worse for Melbourne, with key forward Russell Robertson going down with a serious Achilles injury.Robertson was unable to put any weight on his leg and had to be helped from the field in the third quarter.
He was taken down the race and initial reports suggested that he would miss the remainder of the season.
For Melbourne, Adem Yze worked hard for three goals in his first match for the season, while James McDonald (25 possessions) tried hard all day.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon last weekend labelled his side physically and mentally soft after a 46-point loss to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, but they proved themselves by winning the clearances and applying immense pressure all over the ground.
The Saints took control with five goals to two in the opening term before slamming on the first four goals of the second quarter to put the result beyond doubt.
Melbourne had to wait until the 27-minute mark for their first and only goal of the second term, with Robertson kicking truly as the Saints took a commanding 44-point lead into the main break.
The Demons struggled to find an avenue to goal all day, taking just five of their 106 marks inside 50. They were restricted to a meagre two behinds in the third term, but were saved from total embarassment by some poor kicking in front of goal by the Saints.
St Kilda booted a wasteful 2.6 to take a 60-point advantage into the final change.
Melbourne managed four goals in the final term, but the Saints booted seven of their own to lift their percentage above 100.
ST KILDA: 5.4, 10.6, 12.12. 19.15 (129)
MELBOURNE: 2.2, 3.4, 3.6, 7.8 (50)
GOALS: St Kilda: Schneider 5, Milne 3, Birss 2, Koschitzke 2, Gram, Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Jones, Ball, Montagna, Dempster
Melbourne: Yze 3, Dunn, Robertson, Sylvia, Bruce
BEST: St Kilda: S Fisher, Ball, Schneider, Gram, Dal Santo, Birss, Montagna, Armitage
Melbourne: Bate, McDonald, Wheatley, Warnock
INJURIES: St Kilda: Nil
Melbourne: Robertson (achilles), Dunn (calf)
UMPIRES: Stewart, Stevic, Head
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 27,854 at Telstra Dome
The Saints, desperate to atone for last weekend's disappointing performance against Brisbane, thrashed the bottom-placed Demons 19.15 (129) to 7.8 (50) in a match that didn't reach any great heights.
The win puts the Saints within half a game of eighth-placed North Melbourne after 10 rounds.
Nick Dal Santo, Luke Ball and Leigh Montagna were prominent in the middle, while Jason Gram and Sam Fisher generated plenty of run off half-back, racking up 27 possessions each.
Former Sydney Swan Adam Schneider starred with five goals, while Stephen Milne also chimed in with three majors. St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt worked tirelessly across half-forward, finishing the match with 21 possessions, 13 marks and one goal.
The loss was made worse for Melbourne, with key forward Russell Robertson going down with a serious Achilles injury.Robertson was unable to put any weight on his leg and had to be helped from the field in the third quarter.
He was taken down the race and initial reports suggested that he would miss the remainder of the season.
For Melbourne, Adem Yze worked hard for three goals in his first match for the season, while James McDonald (25 possessions) tried hard all day.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon last weekend labelled his side physically and mentally soft after a 46-point loss to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, but they proved themselves by winning the clearances and applying immense pressure all over the ground.
The Saints took control with five goals to two in the opening term before slamming on the first four goals of the second quarter to put the result beyond doubt.
Melbourne had to wait until the 27-minute mark for their first and only goal of the second term, with Robertson kicking truly as the Saints took a commanding 44-point lead into the main break.
The Demons struggled to find an avenue to goal all day, taking just five of their 106 marks inside 50. They were restricted to a meagre two behinds in the third term, but were saved from total embarassment by some poor kicking in front of goal by the Saints.
St Kilda booted a wasteful 2.6 to take a 60-point advantage into the final change.
Melbourne managed four goals in the final term, but the Saints booted seven of their own to lift their percentage above 100.
ST KILDA: 5.4, 10.6, 12.12. 19.15 (129)
MELBOURNE: 2.2, 3.4, 3.6, 7.8 (50)
GOALS: St Kilda: Schneider 5, Milne 3, Birss 2, Koschitzke 2, Gram, Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Jones, Ball, Montagna, Dempster
Melbourne: Yze 3, Dunn, Robertson, Sylvia, Bruce
BEST: St Kilda: S Fisher, Ball, Schneider, Gram, Dal Santo, Birss, Montagna, Armitage
Melbourne: Bate, McDonald, Wheatley, Warnock
INJURIES: St Kilda: Nil
Melbourne: Robertson (achilles), Dunn (calf)
UMPIRES: Stewart, Stevic, Head
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 27,854 at Telstra Dome
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