MORE: Bulldogs hold Saints at bay in Lenny's farewell
Could it have ushered in a change in the status quo between two of the AFL's most downtrodden clubs?
The on-field fortunes of the Saints and Bulldogs have risen and fallen almost simultaneously over the past two decades.
Nathan Burke evades Rohan Smith during the 1999 season. Photo: Getty
During that time, St Kilda held the upper hand, reaching grand finals in 1997, 2009 and 2010. It lost all of them, but it got there.
The Bulldogs were merely half a step behind, contesting preliminary finals in each of the above seasons, but heartbreakingly never appeared on footy's grandest stage.
At the same time St Kilda was rebuilding under Grant Thomas in the early 2000s, Peter Rohde was laying the foundations at the kennel.
Both clubs missed the top eight in 2007, before going on to play finals in each season until 2010, under revered coaches Ross Lyon and Rodney Eade.
Nick Riewoldt booted the winning goal in the 2009 preliminary final. Photo: Getty
And with both clubs in the early stages of a list rebuild, the Saints and Dogs appear set to take the rivalry into the next decade.
After Sunday's 23-point victory at Etihad Stadium, Brendan McCartney's maturing team has now won two in a row against their former tormentors.
Between 2003 and 2013, big brother St Kilda won 14 of the 18 contests against the Dogs.
Among other factors, that superiority was largely built on the Saints having a slightly higher class of superstar.
It's always hard to compare the game's champions. But more often than not, it was St Kilda which held a faint advantage in the match winner stakes.
Think Robert Harvey versus Scott West, compare Nick Riewoldt to Brad Johnson or Fraser Gehrig to Barry Hall.
However this time it is the Bulldogs who appear to have the slightly superior talent pool.
While it's still early doors, the Bulldogs' decision to retreat from the premiership race and blood youth in 2011, two years before the Saints fully committed to a list rebuild, means they're a step ahead.
The 2012 national draft was the sliding doors moment, and could be a major reason the Bulldogs contend for a flag before the Saints.
The Bulldogs landed Jake Stringer, Jack Macrae, Nathan Hrovat as first-round selections - and each was pivotal in Sunday's win.
St Kilda selected Nathan Wright (number 24) and Spencer White (25) in the national draft, while it traded pick 12 for recycled players Tom Lee and Tom Hickey.
None of those played at the weekend.
If it's too early to judge that definitively, perhaps an immediate example is this year's Rising Star award.
Hard-working St Kilda midfielder Luke Dunstan has enjoyed a consistent season, but Bulldogs prodigy Marcus Bontempelli looks to have him covered.
For the foreseeable future, being pipped by the Bulldogs is something Saints fans might have to get used to.
Could it have ushered in a change in the status quo between two of the AFL's most downtrodden clubs?
The on-field fortunes of the Saints and Bulldogs have risen and fallen almost simultaneously over the past two decades.
Nathan Burke evades Rohan Smith during the 1999 season. Photo: Getty
During that time, St Kilda held the upper hand, reaching grand finals in 1997, 2009 and 2010. It lost all of them, but it got there.
The Bulldogs were merely half a step behind, contesting preliminary finals in each of the above seasons, but heartbreakingly never appeared on footy's grandest stage.
At the same time St Kilda was rebuilding under Grant Thomas in the early 2000s, Peter Rohde was laying the foundations at the kennel.
Both clubs missed the top eight in 2007, before going on to play finals in each season until 2010, under revered coaches Ross Lyon and Rodney Eade.
Nick Riewoldt booted the winning goal in the 2009 preliminary final. Photo: Getty
And with both clubs in the early stages of a list rebuild, the Saints and Dogs appear set to take the rivalry into the next decade.
After Sunday's 23-point victory at Etihad Stadium, Brendan McCartney's maturing team has now won two in a row against their former tormentors.
Between 2003 and 2013, big brother St Kilda won 14 of the 18 contests against the Dogs.
Among other factors, that superiority was largely built on the Saints having a slightly higher class of superstar.
It's always hard to compare the game's champions. But more often than not, it was St Kilda which held a faint advantage in the match winner stakes.
Think Robert Harvey versus Scott West, compare Nick Riewoldt to Brad Johnson or Fraser Gehrig to Barry Hall.
However this time it is the Bulldogs who appear to have the slightly superior talent pool.
While it's still early doors, the Bulldogs' decision to retreat from the premiership race and blood youth in 2011, two years before the Saints fully committed to a list rebuild, means they're a step ahead.
The 2012 national draft was the sliding doors moment, and could be a major reason the Bulldogs contend for a flag before the Saints.
The Bulldogs landed Jake Stringer, Jack Macrae, Nathan Hrovat as first-round selections - and each was pivotal in Sunday's win.
St Kilda selected Nathan Wright (number 24) and Spencer White (25) in the national draft, while it traded pick 12 for recycled players Tom Lee and Tom Hickey.
None of those played at the weekend.
If it's too early to judge that definitively, perhaps an immediate example is this year's Rising Star award.
Hard-working St Kilda midfielder Luke Dunstan has enjoyed a consistent season, but Bulldogs prodigy Marcus Bontempelli looks to have him covered.
For the foreseeable future, being pipped by the Bulldogs is something Saints fans might have to get used to.