St Kilda has started the season on a winning note with a gutsy eight-point win over a dogged Sydney Swans on Saturday night at ANZ stadium.
After the lows of losing both last season’s grand final and the 2010 NAB Cup final, the Saints showed they'll again be a contender with a hard-fought 13.10 (88) to 15.6 (96) victory over a brave Swans outfit.
The Saints held slender leads at each break but extended their lead to 20 points going into the final quarter.
St Kilda’s experience and quality shone through in the final term to hold off a brave late Swans fight back to register the victory.
On a humid night it was a high-tempo opening quarter. A bruising bump by Saints forward Justin Koschitzke on Nick Malceski set the tone yet it was the Swans who burst out of the blocks with goals to Adam Goodes and Ryan O’Keefe.
But the Saints soon hit top gear with five unanswered majors in a blistering 10-minute spell to swing the game’s momentum in their favour - Koschitzke, Steve Milne, Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo and 100-gamer Jason Gram all kicking truly.
Big Heath Grundy matched up well on St Kilda spearhead Riewoldt but the Saints had runners across the half-back line and drove forward intelligently through midfield to take a nine-point lead into the first break.
The see-saw contest continued with both sides trading goals as the tempo showed no sign of abating in the second term.
A moment of magic from Goodes had the fans on their feet as the former Brownlow medallist’s snap off a bouncing ball went through the big sticks from 40m out.
Goodes followed that up with a long bomb to keep the pressure on but Saint Brett Peake equalled the Swans’ brilliance with a turn and snap from the forward pocket.
In a thrilling second quarter, Swan forward Daniel Bradshaw’s first goal in red and white came courtesy of more Goodes soccer skills but it was the Saints who held onto a slender lead at the main break leading by seven points with nine straight goals to the Swans' 7.5.
The hard running continued in the third term with both sides again trading goals with Jesse White’s first goal of the night cancelled out by Jarryn Geary’s effort for the Saints.
Leigh Montagna’s glaring set-shot miss from 20m out let the Swans off the hook. Lucky for them, O’Keefe poor set shot from a slight angle also missed as fatigue began to set in on both sides.
But a blow to the Swans came in the final few minutes as first McQualter then Gram kicked truly to extend their lead to 20 points going into the final term.
The Saints looked to have the game wrapped up but snaps from McVeigh and Moore and a set shot from Marty Mattner and it was game on as the Swans sensed victory.
But Riewoldt steadied the ship after he won a dubious free and kicked accurately.
With both sides tiring mistakes would always tell and Mattner’s silly free on Reiwoldt was costly. The Saints captain made the Swans pay with an accurate kick and with that went the plucky Swans' chances.
Mattner booted a goal of his own but with eight points down the tiring St Kilda closed out the game to hold on for the win.
SYDNEY: 3.3 7.5 9.8 13.10(88)
ST KILDA: 5.0 9.0 13.4 15.6(96)
GOALS:
Sydney Swans: Goodes 3, Mattner 2, Kirk, Jack, Malceski, McVeigh, Moore, O’Keefe, Bradshaw, White
St Kilda: Riewoldt 4, Gram 2, Koschitzke 2, Dal Santo, Goddard, Geary, Milne, McQualter, Peake, Schneider
BEST: Swans Goodes, Kennelly, Shaw, O’Keefe,
Saints: Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Montagna, Hayes, Goddard
INJURIES: Swans: Kennelly (concussion)
Saints: Nil
UMPIRES: C Donlon, S McBurney, S Grun
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 31,333 at ANZ stadium