West Coast has extended their winning streak to 10 in a row, heading into their bye with a 13-point win over a fast-finishing St Kilda outfit.
With 48 points separating the two sides at three-quarter time, the Saints completely dominated the final term with seven majors, going down in the end by just over two straight kicks.
After Jack Darling, voted the AFLPA Player of the Month earlier in the week, left the ground injured, Josh Kennedy took over for the Eagles, kicking six goals - four of which were kicked in the third quarter.
Tim Membrey too fired for the Saints with a six-goal bag, while Jade Gresham finished with a handy two majors, yet their efforts weren't quite enough to secure a miracle victory on the road, even with Luke Shuey a precautionary late withdrawal.
As it has been in recent weeks, St Kilda’s effort was impressive, and they completely ran over the top in the final quarter with the final six goals, but they simply lacked experience and class at times, and were left to rue Jake Carlisle’s absence.
The Eagles got off to a blistering start, kicking the first three goals of the match before St Kilda had registered a score as it threatened to be an ugly night for the visitors.
Nic Naitanui took a strong mark and kicked truly, Dom Sheed – a late inclusion after being left out of the original team – kicked a lofty snap from 40 metres out, and Josh Kennedy found space to give the Eagles an 18-point lead.
But St Kilda then found control of the ball, and led by underrated hard-runner Seb Ross, were able to run rings around an Eagles on-ball division that appeared off the pace.
Jack Steven was also prolific, strong and energetic around the contest in equal measure
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However, the Eagles’ defence remained largely impenetrable, with Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass taking control in the air, and once they did have the ball, West Coast were typically precise.
Paddy McCartin eventually got the Saints on the board at the 13-minute mark of the term after Willie Rioli conceded a 50 metre penalty.
McCartin worked hard up the ground all night, and competed very well in the air when given the chance.
Naitanui’s second also came via a 50 metre penalty, after he took a mark which looked like it should have been paid to Rowan Marshall.
Goals to Tim Membrey and Jamie Cripps closed out the quarter, but the talking point was Jack Darling, who hurt his ankle heavily from a marking contest.
The in-form forward played no further part in the match.
The second quarter followed a similar script to the first, as the Eagles kicked early goals, but the Saints, while lacking polish at times, refused to be put out of the contest, with some grit through the midfield.
The Eagles’ forward pressure was very good, as Mark LeCras laid a tackle that resulted in a Willie Rioli goal, and Jamie Cripps was rewarded with a goal when he applied a similar tackle that won him a free kick straight in front.
Tim Membrey was playing well up forward, and won his share of contests against dual All Australian Jeremy McGovern, out-bodying his opponent perfectly to mark and kick his second goal.
The Eagles’ remaining forwards, with Darilng still off the ground, were all providing scoring options, as LeCras and Jake Waterman also got on the board, kicking goals either side of a clever piece of work from Jack Sinclair where he snapped a major.
St Kilda’s effort around the ball was very good, but their defensive systems were not looking particularly, impressive, as they evidently were missing a lot of experience, and so the when West Coast found the ball inside scoring distance, it was usually in a very dangerous position.
Despite this, the scoreboard wasn’t especially reflective of the nature of the game, and right on the siren, Jack Newnes tumbled a snap out of a pack through the unguarded goal square to bring the margin back to 28 points.
Tim Membrey’s third shot for goal came shortly after half time, and it was his third major, which, combined with his two goals straight last week, made five consecutive accurate shots, as he put his inaccuracy woes behind him.
Mark LeCras and Josh Kennedy both took marks inside forward fifty soon after, with the latter looking especially dangerous, following his tackle on Jimmy Webster which resulted in his fourth goal.
Jack Lonie also earned a free kick in front of goal, and kicked St Kilda’s seventh, but the news was soured by an injury to captain Jarryn Geary’s calf.
St Kilda’s doggedness was admirable, but Kennedy was clearly back to his best, and worrying the Saints’ young and undersized defenders.
With three defenders on him, Kenendy still drew a free kick from Logan Austin, who grabbed his arm, and allowed him to kick his fifth, and booted his sixth before three-quarter time.
The margin at that point was 48 points.
The final quarter was an absolute credit to St Kilda, who stuck to their task all night.
Journeyman Maverick Weller kicked the first goal of the final quarter, but after a turnover in the midfield, the Saints were unable to stop Andrew Gaff streaking into the forward line and sliding through a nice goal.
Membrey’s fourth straight came courtesy of a brilliant snap from the boundary line, after the ball went out on the full off the boot of Jackson Nelson, before he found space out the back and kicked his fifth.
Jade Grsham made it three in a row for the Saints, with an inside-out dribbled shot at goal from the pocket brining the margin back to 30 points.
There were seven minutes to go when Jack Newnes brought it back to a four-goal margin, as the margin of 48 points had been cut back to 24, with the Eagles taking their foot off the pedal in a big way.
Goalkicking issues long forgotten, Membrey brought the margin back to 18 points with his sixth, and still there were five minutes left.
The Saints annihilated the Eagles around the ball, and but for a few skill errors, may have continued their charge even further.
Gresham’s second cut the margin back to 13 points, but by this point there didn’t appear to be enough time left, and the margin remained the same until at last the siren sounded and the Eagles were home.
After a difficult stretch of games, West Coast have a well-earned week off, with their place atop the ladder assured for another week, while St Kilda remain on just one win and a draw, facing Sydney next week on Saturday Night.
WEST COAST 5.0 10.1 15.3 16.5 (101)
ST KILDA 2.1 5.3 7.3 14.4 (88)
GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 6, Cripps, LeCras, Naitanui 2, Rioli, Waterman, Sheed, Gaff
St Kilda: Membrey 6, Newnes, Gresham 2, McCartin, Weller, Sinclair, Lonie
BEST
West Coast: Kennedy, Naitanui, Hurn, Gaff
St Kilda: Membrey, Ross, Steven, Sinclair, Gresham, Austin
INJURIES
West Coast: Darling (ankle), McGovern (abductor)
St Kilda: Rice (ankle), Geary (calf)
TALKING POINTS
1. BACKWARDS FINAL QUARTER
The Saints’ midfield had been in control for most of the night, but the Eagles’ pressure was more of an indicator of where the game was being played.
During the first three quarters the St Kilda on-ballers worked hard to win the ball but struggled to find space, and under constant harassment rarely found targets up forward.
From there the Eagles were able to transition the ball, and at their best their ball movement was deadly.
But perhaps the Eagles felt the effects of the six day-break, compounded by the trip back from Melbourne, and being without the hardworking Darling for most of the night.
Either way, their intensity around the ball in the last quarter went from lacklustre to awful, and the Saints took full advantage, winning seemingly every clearance, but now to better effect.
They got the ball deeper forward, often onto the chest of Tim Membrey, but even when they didn’t find their spearhead, they created contests and kept the ball closer to their goal.
Their intensity was terrific, and they will feel confident in their ability heading into next week’s clash with the Swans.
2. THE SHOOTOUT
Josh Kennedy and Tim Membrey both kicked six goals tonight, and they made for an interesting comparison.
Both took over the game for one quarter each – the third for Kenendy, and the fourth for Membrey.
Kennedy led hard at the ball, but was also dangerous in bigger contests with the ball sat up high for him to mark, while Membrey, after a slightly tepid start to the season, was brilliant.
Membrey’s first three goals up until three quarter time were very good, but the Saints weren’t giving him much chance for the most part.
Suddenly as their skills and ball movement clicked into gear, he looked far more dangerous.
Jeremy McGovern is statistically the best one-on-one defender in the AFL, but Membrey was regularly isolated with him deep in attack, and his body use and reading of the flight were terrific.
Much was made of his last trip to Optus Stadium, where he kicked 1.5 against Fremantle, but his radar was on tonight, and he nearly led St Kilda to an astonishing win over the ladder leaders at their home.
While both full forwards were outstanding, Membrey arguably took the points; he also worked very hard up the ground to take marks in the midfield, and he made the most of limited opportunities even when things weren’t going St Kilda’s way.
3. EVEN SPREAD OVER STANDOUT PERFORMANCES
While West Coast’s midfield should expect a monumental spray from Adam Simpson, they are still in a terrific position halfway through the season.
Most pleasing was that they won in spite of quiet games from players who have been the architect of many victories this season.
Jack Redden, Elliot Yeo, Brad Sheppard and even Andrew Gaff (who was still very good) had their worst games for the year, while Jack Darling, who has taken the AFL by storm for the better part of the season, was unable to provide any of his usual services.
Jeremy McGovern took plenty of marks, but was also beaten more than usual by his opponent in Tim Membrey.
To win, even in the unemphatic way they did, in spite of all that, ought to please Adam Simpson.
Mark Hutchings, Brendon Ah Chee, Jamie Cripps and Liam Duggan were all very solid, and over the course of the match, the Eagles had contributions from just about every player.
Their midfield is crying out for some leadership, and Luke Shuey, who was named for his return before being a last-minute scratching, can’t return quickly enough now for the Eagles, who will be happy to take stock at 10-1.
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