Round 3 – St. Kilda v Essendon: Saints defuse Bombers in sesquicentennial anniversary match at the MCG
St. Kilda v Essendon
7.25 PM Saturday April Fool’s Day
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The St. Kilda Football Club formed on 2 April 1873. This game against the Bombers on April Fool’s Day would see it complete its first 150 years of existence. The Saints, with a lot of its leading players out injured, had started the season well with wins over the Dockers and the Dogs, respectively. How would they go against the Bombers, who in recent years have had the wood on the Saints with their speed and fast moving game? Would the footy gods smile on the Saints or play one of their cruel jokes on this, of all days, April Fools Day? There was a ceremony prior to the start of play with Saints’ royalty paraded before more than 69,000 fans at the MCG.
It takes a couple of rounds for sides to work out their game planes and for players to perfect their skills under match conditions. This was an entertaining and closely fought game. The Saints ended up winning, outscoring the Bombers by 14 to 11 goals. Ten of the Saints goals were kicked in two lots of five: the first in the first two thirds of the first quarter and, in six minutes in the last, when the game was up for grabs. For their part the Bombers kicked three in three and a half minutes in the last quarter to square the ledger. The key to the Saints win was their ability to find another gear whenever the Bombers were on the verge of taking control.
While the win was due to an outstanding team effort, two of the Saints small forwards played crucial roles; Jack Higgins (if ever there was a white collar player it is him) and Dan Butler, who both kicked four goals. Both players had fairly quiet starts to the season, gaining few possessions and with hardly impact on the scoreboard. Higgins had kicked a goal against the Dockers and a point against the Dogs while making a few tackles. Butler had only managed a point against the Dockers, but had made a crucial tackle against the Dogs which resulted in a goal sealing a win for the Saints. All of Higgins goals came from marks. One of Butler’s was from a mark – a pass by Higgins – and the other three from contested play; one of which was from a handpass by Higgins in the goal square in the third quarter. Undoubtedly the best and most dramatic goal for the Saints was late in the third quarter when the Bombers were mounting a fightback. The ball is on the wing, Hunter Clark grabs the ball heads forward, handpasses it to Butler who bursts into the forward 50, breaks a tackle, bounces the ball, delivers as only Butler can and Saints’ fans go nuts. He also grabbed one in the last when the ball was kicked to him in space on the half forward flank.
The game starts and the Saints dominate play. They kicked the first five goals and could have had a couple more. The Bombers steadied the plane and got one back late in the quarter. The Bombers started to control more of the play in the second. They scored a neat goal early in the quarter. Higgins kicked two of his goals in the latter part of the quarter, either side of a goal to the Bombers. Late in the quarter the Bombers scored another to be down by three goals at the main break. The Bombers maintained their ascendancy in the third quarter, though had trouble converting this pressure into to goals. They eventually kicked two and were only seven points adrift. The Saints responded late with Butler’s running goal and hand pass from Higgins to be up by 19 points at three quarter time.
The last quarter starts. The Bombers take charge. They kicked two in the first two minutes; one from a miracle snap on the right boundary line and the second from a soccer goal off the ground in the goal square. Then three minutes later they score another miracle with a snap on the left boundary line. Scores are level. What sort of joke are the footy gods serving up to us Saints on the occasion of our sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) on April Fool’s Day? This is simply too much! There was no need to worry (says he with the perfect perspective that can only be provided with hindsight!). The Saints adjusted their white collars and took over proceedings. Mason Wood had an outstanding couple of minutes with his intercept marks and long kicks forward which resulted in goals. The Saints kicked five in six minutes to seal the win. A great game, a great win, great to be a Saint, great to be alive. Saints on top of the ladder for the second Saturday night in a row.
Suns next week at Marvel Stadium. But, unfortunately more injuries. Jimmy Webster has injured his cheek bone and Mason Wood has a sore shoulder. Hope springs eternal.
Go Saints!!!
St. Kilda 5.4 7.5 9.7 14.8 (92)
Essendon 1.1 4.5 6.6 11.8 (74)
Goals
St. Kilda: Butler 4, Higgins 4, Wood, Caminiti, Owens, Gresham, Windhager, Hill.
Essendon: Perkins 2, Caldwell 2, Shiel 2, Stringer, Menzie, Martin, Langford, Parish.
Best
St. Kilda: Wood, Wilkie, Higgins, Butler, Crouch.
Essendon: Kelly, Parish, Martin, Shiel, Ridley.
Crowd: 69,255
Malarkey Medal: Higgins 1 (StK), Wilkie 2 (StK), Wood 3 (StK).
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Wonderful report on a fantastic result!
Fancy the footy gods smiling on the Saints…
Great to see Rossie Smith doing the HoF inductions.
Alas commentatators didnt know who he was.
WE DO!
We;re back baby!!!