St Kilda stars Nick Riewoldt and Nick Dal Santo chaired off after their 250th games. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun
WHEN it was all said and done, milestones, Milney and the makeshift coach were irrelevant.
The reasons St Kilda won this game were an edge in class and its poise under pressure.
After a sluggish start, in which it was belted in the centre-square clearances, Melbourne ground its way back into the contest by halftime through pure hard work, tackling and trying to take the game on.
But its atrocious decision-making and poor disposal continually let it down.
Time and again the Demons would send numbers to the ball, scrap and fight for possession, only for a defender to kick the ball straight to an opponent, a midfielder to handball into a teammate's back, or a forward to miss what seemed a certain goal.
St Kilda emerged from this game with a much-needed 35-point win, but also a reminder of why it has only won three matches this season.
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There were the same encouraging signs that Saints fans have witnessed all season. Jack Steven and David Armitage continue to look like they can become consistently elite midfielders.
Steven set the tone early. Matched against David Rodan he had four of the game's first five centre clearances and was instrumental in St Kilda bursting to a 25-point lead midway through the first term.
Coach Neil Craig shifted Matt Jones on to Steven at quarter time, but the Saints speedster remained steadily influential over the next three quarters.
Five Saints in the next experience tier down - Jack Newnes, Seb Ross, Brodie Murdoch, Tom Simpkin and Sam Dunnell - showed enough to suggest they can become important players in the next few seasons.
Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna produced their usual silky contributions, while James Gwilt was a superb defensive general in the absence of the injured Sam Fisher.
But the Saints gave the impression of a team that was largely going through the motions, only lifting the intensity when they either had to, or it suited them.
Their transition into the forward line was occasionally slipshod. The St Kilda players looked too intent on passing the ball to skipper Nick Riewoldt, who managed three goals but was well countered by the disciplined Tom McDonald.
It seemed Riewoldt was unable to exploit his trademark gut-running against McDonald, who is one of the Demons better endurance athletes.
The St Kilda skipper responded at times with shows of petulance that would have been the subject of fierce scrutiny and criticism if they had come from his cousin Jack.
Riewoldt shook his head in disgust at the umpires and remonstrated with teammates kicking into the forward line.
For long-suffering Melbourne fans hoping to see improvement after a change of coaches, there were certainly glimpses of promise.
Its best players were its youngsters, notably Dean Terlich, first-gamer Mitch Clisby and high draft pick Jimmy Toumpas. All three looked prepared to run and take risks.
The Demons seemed to play with greater freedom and rallied whenever St Kilda looked like careering away with the game.
After quarter-time, when an animated Craig ripped into his charges, singling out the midfielders and seemingly imploring them to apply more physical pressure, they responded, winning clearances and continually pumping the ball inside their forward 50.
Alas that second-quarter burst went unrewarded, with four consecutive points.
Melbourne ruckman Jake Spencer was reported for a crude head-high bump on St Kilda rival Ben McEvoy while St Kilda defender Tom Simpkin floored Demon Chris Dawes with a roundhouse hook to the side of the jaw.
Encouragingly, the Dees won the final quarter for one of the few times this season.
Two of Melbourne's enigmatic footballers also produced significant performances in this match.
The much-maligned Jack Watts was played as a key forward and contested with a desperation and purpose not often seen in his game.
And Colin Sylvia worked hard and played team football in his 28-disposal game, two qualities that make him a far better player.
St Kilda took the four points, but Melbourne took as much as from the game given where it is at just now.
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