Good Old Collingwood Beat New Look Saints
144 days after the trade period ended, the St Kilda Football Club unveiled its new recruits against the Collingwood Football Club at the MCG.
Sam Flanders, Tom De Koning, Jack Silvagni, and Liam Ryan all pulled on the red, white and black for the first time.
Despite the 12-point loss, all four contributed to the Saints.
Ranked last in the competition for intercept marks, De Koning and Silvagni gave the Saints a new look assurance at the back.
Flanders went and got the ball for the Saints, while Liam Ryan’s speed let the Saints move the ball.
Flanders had 28 disposals, De Koning had 20 disposals and four clearances, Silvagni had 19 disposals, and Ryan kicked a goal.
However for the Saints, their best was the two million dollar man.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was incredible to half-time, his 12 disposals, 170 metres gained, and his goal was instrumental.
His disposal efficiency was a class above the rest of his teammates, St Kilda’s poor ball use stopping them from building a further lead in the first half.
However, a one disposal third quarter was just the beginning of the end for the Saints, his influence cut in the second half.
After just a two-point St Kilda lead at half-time, a tight game of football broke open at the start of third quarter as Nick Daicos got off the chain.
Hugo Garcia was exceptional as a tagger for the Saints over the first half, but Lyon’s decision to leave the Brownlow medal favourite on his own to start the third hurt the big spenders.
It wasn’t just one Daicos, with Josh Daicos having 36 disposals, alongside Nick’s 41. Ruck Darcy Cameron had 17 disposals and four clearances as he won the ruck contest against De Koning and Rowan Marshall.
Collingwood started to win more of the football from the centre, and the Saints were stopped in their tracks after kicking three of four goals in the second.
It was Beau McCreery who capitalised on Daicos’ good work, with two quick goals, while Jordan De Goey found the most pivotal of his three goals.
Roan Steele’s first AFL goal had the Magpie army in raptures as Collingwood hit a game high lead.
Liam Ryan kicked a goal in just 93 seconds into the final term as the Saints threw one last punch at the Magpies.
Unlike the second term, the Saints were moving the football better to give their forwards better use, before the unsighted Jack Higgins had them within a kick.
From there, it was a hot game of football.
The pressure on the ball carrier was immense, but when it mattered most, the Pies had the class.
Jamie Elliott effectively ended the game, his 11th minute goal leaving the “Collingwood” chant bellowing at the MCG.
The Saints were within two goals in the final minutes, but couldn’t find a second of space when it mattered most.
St Kilda: 2.4 5.7 7.10 9.12.66
Magpies: 4.3 5.5 10.10 11.12.78
Goalkickers:
St Kilda:
Sharman 2, Owens 2, Wanganeen-Milera, Ryan, Hill, Higgins, Hall
Magpies:
De Goey 3, Schultz 2, McCreery 2, Steele, McStay, Elliott, Cameron
Best, (alphabetical order):
St Kilda:
T. De Koning, N. Wanganeen-Milera, J. Sinclair
Magpies:
N. Daicos, J. Daicos, J. De Goey
More to Come