Saints fans will be celebrating their win – Flickr/sufw http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufw/
Brisbane Lions 3.3 7.5 10.6 14.8 (92)
St Kilda 4.0 6.1 10.7 16.9 (105)
St Kilda has reclaimed their position in the top 8 with a thrilling 13-point win against Brisbane at the GABBA.
Both teams contributed to a highly entertaining match in which both teams had finals aspirations on the line.
Clinton Jones was immense for the Saints, picking up 28 disposals and 12 clearances while team mates Lenny Hayes and Ahmed Saad were both influential.
For the Lions, Simon Black and Dayne Zorko were at their classy best, at times single-handedly keeping the Lions in the contest.
Brisbane were the first team to get out of the blocks thanks largely to Zorko, who managed to collect 11 first quarter disposals along with the opening goal.
The match reflected that of a game of kick to kick, with both teams struggling to hit up targets forward of the play due to loose men in defence.
Two goals to Saad and a running goal to Montagna managed to give St Kilda some momentum before a Jonathon Brown goal late brought the margin back to three points at quarter time.
A goal to Armitage got the ball rolling in the second quarter and it looked like the Saints might start to get a run on.
Brisbane responded however, kicking the next three goals and four of the last five of the second quarter to take a 10-point lead to half time.
The third quarter featured an intensity you would expect in a match featuring two teams fighting for their seasons. Momentum seemed to change at will, with each team enjoying periods of ascendancy but never extending the lead further than a few kicks.
The Lions would get a run on before Saad or Stephen Milne took advantage of some sloppy defensive positioning to steal back the lead. St Kilda would enjoy the next few minutes and dominate the general play before the Lions would bounce back and keep the game see sawing.
St Kilda managed to claim a one point lead heading into the final term, setting up what was sure to be a frenetic final term.
Brisbane struck first, kicking the first two goals, but yet again St Kilda responded, kicking four of the next five to open a small lead.
Simon Black responded for Brisbane, kicking a beautiful right foot snap to retake the lead for Brisbane.
It proved to be in vain though as Milne and Arryn Siposs kicked the final two goals of the game to finally finish the contest..
The win leaves St. Kilda well in contention for a top 8 spot, while Brisbane’s finals aspirations seem to be over for another year.
VOTES
3) Clinton Jones
2) Lenny Hayes
1) Ahmed Saad
GOALS
St Kilda: Saad 4, Milne 3, Montagna 2, Riewoldt 2, Armitage 2, Siposs 2, Gilbert
Brisbane Lions: Rockliff 2, Bewick 2, Merrett 2, Karnezis, Black, Zorko, Raines, Polkinghorne, Brown, Cornelius, Banfield
BEST
St Kilda: Jones, Hayes, Saad, Montagna, Fisher, McEvoy, Milne
Brisbane Lions: Black, Zorko, Patfull, Maguire, Hudson, Bewick
INJURIES
St Kilda: TBC
Brisbane Lions: TBC
SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane Lions: Patrick Karnezis replaced Aaron Cornelius at three-quarter time
St Kilda: Sam Dunell replaced Beau Wilkes at half-time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McBurney, Hay, Jennings
Official crowd: 19,228 at the Gabba
