NO HEAVEN FOR SAINTS by George on the Outer

[Demonland 73,140]

Just when St.Kilda thought it was heading toward Saintly Heaven in Season 2022, it was brought crashing to earth quickly by the ruthless Demons machine.

It wasn’t a long drawn out process before the Saints discovered how fragile they were. The Demons simply took the game apart in the first quarter piling on four goals against a paltry three  behinds. Even when Membrey was going to score a major right on the ¼ time bell from 15m out in front, he failed to bypass the outstretched hands of Harry Petty on the mark, causing the Saints’ hearts to fall even further.

They were staring down the barrel of a disastrous day on the park, as Kozzy Pickett had already notched two majors in the first quarter and could easily have put four on the board.  Little did they know that with Melbourne you can hold down one player but sooner or later someone else will bob up to cause you damage.

That someone in the second quarter was Clayton Oliver who only had six touches to quarter time but had the statisticians pencils blunted by ½ time when he had recorded 22.  Fortunately, he doesn’t do this for the whole game, as this would mean he would amass over 60 touches, but then one day he might just do that. He finished the game with 38 possessions in any case, which probably would be enough to add considerably to his Brownlow tally.  

The main break saw the game as good as over with the Demons holding nearly a six goal lead, and nothing from the Saints indicating they would challenge seriously.  Every time they tried to switch the ball from one side to the other, there were Melbourne players already there to block their path.  

None more so than Ed Langdon, who must have found Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, since no-one ever seemed to be near him, or when the Saints kicked it to free space, he just seemed to appear.  Perhaps it was that nobody wanted to go and stand near him, because he would just leave them floundering behind.  Why the Saints coaching staff didn’t move Brad Hill to his wing to try to curb his influence was confounding, but they leave him alone to pick up an incredible 39 possessions, and gain 566 metres.  

Meanwhile, the backline just kept mopping up the St.Kilda forward thrusts, be it May, Lever or Petty.  But then they had plenty of assistants like Brayshaw chipping in for 11 intercepts for the game.

The third quarter saw a slight revival from the Saints, but by this time the Demons were coasting, and still St.Kilda could only put through two majors for the term, as the defence held firm. The final term was basically a rinse and repeat of the previous with Melbourne putting through four majors while the Saints could only manage three to run out with a final margin of 38 points.

Up forward Tom McDonald celebrated his 200th game with  a couple of goals and seven marks, but it was his bullocking work and attack on the ball to create opportunities for others that will guarantee his position in the side for a long time.  His work in partnership with Ben Brown is simply too much for opposition defenders. The latter capped of a good day at the office with three goals and six marks.

Pickett was back to his dangerous best and was a constant threat whenever the ball hit the ground. He finished the game with 3 as well.  

And did we mention Petracca who finished with 36 touches as well?  Or Brayshaw with 31 of his own? That’s the scary thing that Simon Goodwin keeps bringing up at his press conferences … Melbourne are capable of getting better.

This was a Saints side that sat with a fourth spot on the ladder in reach prior to the game. They thought they were in with a chance. But their hopes were dashed very quickly as the Demons marched on to their 15th successive victory to keep Jake Bowey’s running record intact.  

With upcoming games against the Eagles and North, it looks likely the streak will continue. With the players having produced an 8-0 scoreline so far this season, they are truly heading for our own version of Demon Heaven for the fans as well.

MELBOURNE 4.2.26 9.3.57 10.5.65 14.9.93

ST KILDA 0.3.3 3.4.22 5.7.37 8.7.55

GOALS  

MELBOURNE Brown Pickett 3 Harmes McDonald 2 Brayshaw Fritsch Rivers Spargo

ST KILDA King Marshall 2 Higgins Membrey Ryder Windhager

BEST

MELBOURNE Oliver Langdon Brayshaw Petracca Harmes Sparrow May

ST KILDA Steele Sinclair Crouch Ross Membrey Howard

INJURIES  

MELBOURNE Nil

ST KILDA Butler (ankle)

REPORTS  

MELBOURNE Nil

ST KILDA Nil

SUBSTITUTES  

MELBOURNE T.Bedford (unused)

ST KILDA M.Windhager (replaced Butler)

UMPIRES Matt Stevic Brendan Hosking John Howorth

CROWD 35,767 at The MCG