CARLTON 4.5 7.7 10.15 12.19 (91)
ST KILDA 4.1 8.4 10.6 16.9 (105)

On a sunny Sunday in Melbourne, St Kilda have beaten the outgoing Brett Ratten’s Carlton by 15 points at Etihad Stadium.

With coaching candidate Mick Malthouse already commenting on what his potential Carlton side may look like, Brett Ratten was still charged the task of guiding the Blues in their last game of a disappointing 2012 home and away season.

While the Blues supporters were receptive and respectful of their former legend, the players were unable to topple the persistent St Kilda.

With their last win in the bag, St Kilda reached the 12 game winning mark, but have bizarrely found themselves 2 games off the Top 8.

The Blues started brightly – going into the first break up by 4 points in spite of a controversial Stephen Milne goal late in the quarter.

Chris’ Judd and Yarran then hamstrung the Blues in the second quarter after both going off with upper leg injuries.

Despite their best efforts, they lost their lead at half time: Going in down by 3 points an the evergreen St Kilda side who were led by Terry Milera and Jason Gram.

The lead swung again when the Blues went into the 3 quarter time rest with a 9 point lead, but the Saints sealed the game late thanks to an Ahmed Saad goal.

Brock McLean starred for Carlton with a career high 39 touches finishing off a huge second half of the year to the former Demon’s on-baller. Bryce Gibbs was next best with 26 for the Blues. Jarrad Waite, meanwhile, bagged another 5 goal haul in a good performance.

Jason Gram picked up 26 touches for the Saints, and David Armitage 25, with Milera booting 3 goals to end a good debut year in the AFL.

Overall, Scott Watters managed to stick to expectation in a good starting year with the Saints, while the outgoing Brett Ratten will no doubt regret a poor year at the Blues that started with so much expectation.

VOTES

3 – Jarrad Waite

2 – Brock McLean

1 – Terry Milera


GOALS

St Kilda: Milera 3, Gram 2, Wilkes 2, Steven 2, Armitage 2, Milne, Goddard, McEvoy, Stanley, Saad

Carlton: Waite 5, Bell, Betts, Duigan, Garlett, Mitchell, Robinson, McLean

BEST

St Kilda: Gram, Armitage, Ray, Goddard, Geary, Siposs, Steven
Carlton: McLean, Waite, Kreuzer, Gibbs, O’Keeffe, Robinson


INJURIES

St Kilda: Nil
Carlton: Yarran (hamstring), Judd (hamstring)

SUBSTITUTES

St Kilda: Tom Ledger replaced by Jack Newnes during the third quarter
Carlton: Chris Yarran replaced by David Ellard during the second quarter


Reports

Stephen Milne (St Kilda) and Andrew Walker (Carlton) reported for wrestling before the opening bounce


Umpires

Margetts, Jeffery, Bannister


Official crowd

31,393 at Etihad Stadium