Round 17 – St Kilda v Melbourne: History repeating

 

Etihad Stadium

Sunday 17th July 2016, 3.20pm

 

Neither Melbourne or St Kilda people were confident going into this match. Melbourne had some serious revenge to be had, and the Saints wanted to keep the record of wins against Melbourne going (and going.) Melbourne have improved. St Kilda have built confidence.

Saints fans nervousness was reinforced with Melbourne’s speedy first quarter. Bam, pow – Garlett. Moments later, Petracca, with two Saints points between. Hickey is playing unbelievable football, and Weller, running hard, gets the Saints first. Pow-pow…Watts and Vandenberg, goal, goal, and Membrey breaks the spell momentarily, before Petracca, Membrey again and Hogan gets Melbourne’s sixth. What the…they are double our scores and feeling confident. Hogan was so strong. A ten goal quarter. A lot of nerves. A few cheers. Some good play.

The next quarter started with misses to Billings, Vince, Dunstan, and Gresham. There was 13 minutes and no majors. The good news about this was that St Kilda’s defence was working. And then we attacked: Membrey for his third, Montagna from a free, and then Bruce and the Saints are suddenly ahead. Geary tops off the quarter with two quick goals, the second with 9 seconds to go. Melbourne miss three attempts. They remain goalless. We are 13 points ahead at half time. A complete reverse of momentum from first quarter. And yet, we still worry, as I am sure, Melbourne supporters understand.

I chat with my guests. Travis, the uncle of my drafted grandson Luke, has bought his nephew Lachie from Tasmania to join Uncle Bob, Gary and I, and between us and our usual neighbours in front and behind, we were feeling better after that last quarter. And our back neighbours like my guests this week, they are big and enthusiastic and noisy at all the right times. It feels like our family has extended. The love is being shared. We are more hopeful. The St Kilda boys have learned to fight back, and not just in the last quarter.

Come the 3rd, Weller and Membrey put us 26 points ahead before Garlett, Gawn and Viney peg us back to an 11-point lead. Do we have to keep being pulled back, into a closer game than we wanted? Will the greatly improved Demons get back enough to lead?

It seemed that way as Gawn got Melbourne’s fourth in a row. We start making mistakes, Hickey out of the bound on the full, but still playing the game of his life. Petracca had passed to Gawn and there is only 5 points the difference and we are looking at a great Demons comeback. Finally, Riewoldt pushes us out, before the attack of the Saints begins again – Weller, Roberton, (Kennedy for the Dees), Bruce and finally Dunstan with a snap 20 seconds before the final siren. There was a 6 goal margin at the end, which could have been bigger had we not kicked 20 behinds.  Words like “relentless pressure” were being used to describe the Saints, but I have to say, Melbourne had some of that at times too. And the speed in attack of both teams was exciting to behold. The radio was saying Melbourne was “static, lifeless, gormless”. A big rough. We were just so much stronger and attacking all day, and though Melbourne kept trying to fight back, even with our inaccuracies, we were pressuring all day.

The siren rung out and the Saints sung, our boys sung, and our hearts were light and joyful for the journey home. Young Lachie had been to two Saints wins in several weeks with his uncle Travis, I’d been to two wins with Gary and Bob, before I watch the next one from home, and then more from Japan with my daughter and later, with Yoshi. Kon-ichi-wa. Sayon-ara.

And congratulations to the Saints for their wonderful work for Pride Round. My order of rainbow coloured scarf and hat are on the way. I am liking the directions of my Club on every level. Go Saints.

 

Yvette Wroby

 

 

About Yvette Wroby

Yvette Wroby writes, cartoons, paints through life and gets most pleasure when it's about football, and more specifically the Saints. Believes in following dreams and having a go.

Comments

  1. Neil Anderson says

    Give our regards to Yoshi Yvette. You will have to convince him to travel to Melbourne to watch the Saints play and catch up, with his fellow Almanackers.
    I hope the Bulldogs win on Saturday but I notice the wins for St Kilda are quite a few more overall. It’s only in recent times the Bulldogs have had more wins against the Saints.
    Have a good trip and we will look forward to your reports.
    Neil.

  2. Aidan Hammond says

    At the start of the year i thought Saints could make the finals, I observed at the Adelaide Oval that the 88 point margin meant that I was wrong. Have fun in Japan!

  3. Hi Yvette,

    Our skills in putting much pressures on opponents are so great. Then we didn’t allow Dees to lead again at the third quarter. And they were shown in the Saturday game against Doggies.

    I look forward to watching the Round 20 game against Carlton with you.

    Have a safe journey to come back to Japan.

    Go Saints!

    And good day Neil,

    Thank you for your kind encouraging me to visit Melbourne. I wanted to do in June when we played Carlton, but my work didn’t afford me to do. But I will do soon and can’t wait watching the mighty Saints at the stadium.

    Thanks

    Yoshi

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