Saints outgun Hawks

St Kilda has won its fourth consecutive match and looks an outside chance of finishing in the top-four after picking up a 30-point come-from-behind victory over Hawthorn at the Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

The Saints trailed by 28 points at half-time, but held their opponents to just three goals from that point on, before going on to register a comprehensive 18.11 (119) to 13.11 (89) victory.

After being completely outplayed in the opening half, St Kilda looked a different side after half-time, with Nick Riewoldt, Jason Blake and Nick Dal Santo the three lynchpins in getting the Saints back in the match.

Riewoldt kicked three of his six goals during the third term, Blake was influential in the ruck after spending the opening half in defence, while Dal Santo's non-stop running gave the Saints plenty of forward drive.

Dal Santo was everywhere for the Saints and finished the match with a game-high 32 disposals in a best on ground performance, while Luke Ball, Leigh Montagna and Robert Harvey provided him with plenty of support

Brad Sewell and Luke Hodge tried hard for the Hawks, while Mark Williams, Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead contributed three goals apiece, but they had few contributors over all four quarters.

All of Franklin's three goals came in the opening half, with veteran defender Max Hudghton clearly taking the honours in that absorbing battle.

The Saints overused the ball in the opening half, often choosing to handball sideways or kick short instead of going long to their tall forwards.

While the Saints racked up plenty of disposals in defence and around the middle of the ground, the Hawks looked good going forward and seemed well on top early.

Williams was too quick for Brendon Goddard and Franklin was well on top of Hudghton and the pair made the most of their chances in front of goal as the Hawks held the Saints at arms length and were seemingly cruising.

It seemed just a matter of how much the Hawks were going to win by as the Saints went forward with little conviction and turned the ball over continuously in a poor opening half.

But the move of Blake into the ruck and big second halves from Dal Santo and Riewoldt ensured the Saints cruised to victory and kept alive their chances of a top-four finish.

While the Saints impressed in the second half and look near certainties of figuring in September action this season, Hawthorn will need to quickly regroup if it is to snatch a top-two finish at the end of the season.

The Hawks face Geelong at the MCG on Friday night and will be in for a long night unless they can improve on the poor second half showing against the Saints.

ST KILDA: 3.1, 6.3, 14.5, 18.11 (119)
HAWTHORN: 5.4, 10.7, 12.8, 13.11 (89)

GOALS: ST KILDA: Riewoldt 6, Blake 3, Dal Santo 2, Schneider 2, Jones, Koschitzke, Milne, Dempster, Gram
HAWTHORN: Franklin 3, Williams 3, Roughead 3, Hodge 2, Osborne 2
BEST: ST KILDA: Dal Santo, Riewoldt, Hudghton, Blake, Montagna, Ball
HAWTHORN: Hodge, Osborne, Ellis, Bateman, Williams, Sewell
INJURIES: ST KILDA: Nil
HAWTHORN: NIl
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Young replaced in Hawthorn's selected side by Lewis
UMPIRES: Stewart, Meredith, McInerney
CROWD: 41,886 at the Telstra Dome

Sportal AFL Player of the Year votes:
3. Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda)
2. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
1. Max Hudghton (St Kilda)