Round 14 Match Review – St Kilda vs Melbourne

Round 14 Match Review – St Kilda vs Melbourne

St Kilda           3.4   8.5    11.7    15.10 (100)

Melbourne     2.2   6.7     6.7      9.11 (65)

St Kilda recorded a comfortable 35 point victory over Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in their Round 14 Sunday twilight encounter. Whilst St Kilda always looked to be in control of the match Melbourne were able to remain within striking distance until 3 time All-Australian Lenny Hayes kicked two goals early in the last quarter.

Leigh Montagna’s speed and hard running stood out against Melbourne as he had 35 possessions including seven contested, took seven marks and kicked two goals in another dominant midfield display at Etihad Stadium. In his last 3 games at Ethihad Stadium Montagna has had a total of 102 possessions, kicked nine goals and received seven votes in the True Sainters Player of the Year award.

Clinton Jones limited Aaron Davey to 7 possessions in the first half whilst having 14 possessions himself. In the second half Jones was used in a more attacking role in the midfield as Sean Dempster performed the shut-down role on Davey. Jones proved to just as effective in an attacking role as was as a tagger, kicking a very good goal from a stoppage and having 10 possessions during the third quarter. Jones finished with 16 kicks, 15 handballs  laid 8 tackles and won an equal team-high 9 contested possessions. Jones’s speed and endurance are key traits that make him the one of the best taggers in the game however as was shown on Sunday these traits along with his hardness and ability to win the contested ball also allow him to be used as an effective offensive weapon.

Brendon Goddard had 31 possessions, kicked a goal and had 3 goal assists which was many as his 21 teammates combined. Goddard attempted to take mark of the week in the third quarter from deep in the forward line, he made a great leap and had massive hang-time but couldn’t hold the mark, Stephen Milne timed his run to perfection to get the crumbs and run into an open goal. Goddard made  only one critical error for the game when he uncharcteristically handballed straight to an opponent on defensive 50 which resulted in a goal to Melbourne. At least this rare error proved that Brendon Goddard Superstar is still human, as given his exalted performances in 2010 I am sure some people were beginning to have their doubts. Goddard has been remarkably consistent in 2010 and polled in the True Sainters Player of the Year Award  for the eighth time this season to extend his lead to two votes over acting captain Lenny Hayes.

With six wins in a row St Kilda are now three games clear of the fifth placed Western Bulldogs and travel to the Gabba in Round 15 to play Brisbane. Captain Nick Riewoldt and midfielder/half-back Jason Gram will soon return from injury to the St Kilda line-up, it would be fitting if they are selected against Brisbane as Riewoldt grew up in Queensland and Gram started his AFL career with the Brisbane Lions.    

St Kilda are 2^nd on the ladder with 11 wins, 3 losses, 128.6%

True Sainters Round 14 votes                         True Sainters overall vote leaders

3 Leigh Montagna                                                    15 Brendon Goddard         

2 Clinton Jones                                                      13 Lenny Hayes                         

1 Brendon Goddard                                                   11 Leigh Montagna

                                                                                         9 Sam Gilbert                    

                                                                                         9 Nick Dal Santo