St Kilda may have just kept their finals hopes alive with a nine-point win over Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.
The Saints led from start to finish to run away victors, but it wasn’t without a scare as a late Magpie surge reduced the margin from 49 points to just eight points in the dying minutes.
While they sit in 11th spot, Brett Ratten’s side is now just two points outside of the eight, quite a remarkable feat considering where their season looked headed at the midway point of the campaign.
Jack Steele (36 disposals), Luke Dunstan (27 disposals) and Bradley Hill (30 disposals) starred in the middle as the Saints won the both the clearance (40-33) and inside 50 count (54-48).
Up forward, Max King and Tim Membrey (two goals each) were solid in a low scoring game, while Paddy Ryder kicked two of his own after returning from family commitments in Western Australia.
For the Magpies, Jordan De Goey (one goal, 32 disposals), Taylor Adams (34 disposals) and Chris Mayne (26 disposals) fought valiantly in trying circumstances.
Collingwood midfielder Josh Daicos was forced from the game with a finger injury, while the Saints looked to escape the game without any injury concerns.
Here’s everything you need to know!
Third quarter costs Pies, fourth quarter almost costs Saints
St Kilda’s victory was helped set up with a six goal to two third quarter.
The margin even got out to 49 points before the final break as the Saints looked like they’d blow Collingwood away.
Perhaps it was complacency, or maybe it was the Magpies finally finding their feet with the minutes dying down, but somehow the game had life breathed back into it.
A five goal to zero final term genuinely brought Robert Harvey’s side back into the contest, but ultimately, they were too far behind to ever really threaten.
While it wasn’t pretty in the end, the four points could loom as crucial for St Kilda as they’ve now set themselves up to make a late finals push.
If they can play like they did last week against Richmond and in the first three quarters today, who’s saying they can’t play September footy?
Club great slams “rabble” of a club
It seems the turbulent times at the Holden Centre didn’t stop with Nathan Buckley’s departure, with club great Tony Shaw slamming his former club on Sunday.
The Magpies trailed from start to finish in Robert Harvey’s second game as caretaker coach, and Shaw wasn’t impressed with what he saw as the Saints opened up a big lead.
With former Channel Nine boss Jeff Browne plotting a board takeover, Shaw called for it to happen sooner rather than later.
"We know there is going to be a board challenge, we (Collingwood) need this quicker now,” Shaw said on 3AW.
“We need to get settled so we can get to the draft ... it has got to happen, it just can't go to the end of the year with this rabble how it's going."
The club is adamant in holding an annual general meeting in December to decide the boards fate, but if Shaw has his way, we would see it occur before the draft in November.
While the next seven weeks won’t change whether Collingwood plays finals or not … it could well and truly dictate the club’s future behind closed doors.
What’s next?
St Kilda face Brisbane which at this stage is scheduled for the Gabba, while Collingwood face a Richmond side that’s desperate for a win.
FULL SCORE
Collingwood: 1.2, 1.5, 3.7, 8.13. (61)
St Kilda: 3.1, 4.5, 10.8, 10.10. (70)
GOALS
Collingwood: Mihocek 2, Daicos, De Goey, Thomas, Elliott, Cox, Hoskin-Elliott
St Kilda: King 2, Membrey 2, Ryder 2, Butler, Higgins, Marshall, McKenzie
BEST
Collingwood: Jordan De Goey, Taylor Adams, Chris Mayne, Scott Pendlebury, Brodie Grundy
St Kilda: Jack Steele, Luke Dunstan, Jack Sinclair, Bradley Hill, Mason Wood, Tim Membrey
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