Match

St Kilda vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 20 Aug 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the St Kilda v North Melbourne Round 22 clash.
59:33
Outs for Saints: B.White
59:34
Ins for Saints: N.Riewoldt
59:35
Outs for Kangaroos: A.Mullett
59:36
Ins for Kangaroos: J.Ziebell
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:10
St Kilda's win over North Melbourne in Round 13 this year was their first win seven attempts. They had lost their previous six matches against the Kangaroos by an average of 38 points per game.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
04:44
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)
04:45
The Kangaroos get the first goal of the match through Jy Simpkin off the back of a 50 metre penalty. Both teams have recorded 10 kicks early in this match, however the Kangaroos have recorded a kicking efficiency 40 per cent higher than their opponents.
06:15
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jade Gresham)
07:19
Jack Steven has started strongly for the Saints, as he has already recorded five disposals, two contested possessions, one clearance, one tackle and the goal assist on Gresham's goal, leading all players on the ground in each category.
09:50
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)
10:57
Hrovat gets the goal from the Higgins kick inside 50. North Melbourne have scored a goal from 26.2 per cent of Higgins's kicks inside 50 this season, the second best percentage amongst the top 50 players in the AFL for total kicks inside 50.
13:57
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
15:56
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Billings)
17:53
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
19:04
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jade Gresham)
20:08
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Blake Acres)
21:15
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)
21:28
St Kilda have recorded five of the last seven inside 50's but only kicked two goals from these entries. Conversely, North Melbourne have scored a goal from their two entries in that time. They average a goal from 24.6 per cent of inside 50's this season.
21:37
Kangaroos Interchange - Todd Goldstein off due to an injury.
23:25
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Billy Longer)
24:38
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
28:50
Kangaroos Interchange - Dan Nielson and is possibly out for the game.
29:03
Daniel Nielson looks to have been knocked out from an inadvertent knee to the back of the head and will go off on the stretcher. He is one of North Melbourne's 10 debutants this season, the most of any side in the AFL.
31:28
Adding further pressure on the Kangaroos, Todd Goldstein has only just emerged from the change rooms after copping an inadvertent poke to the eye in a centre bounce. He has been off the ground for over 10 minutes.
35:08
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
35:18
Josh Bruce takes St Kilda's eighth mark on the lead of the match already and converts to put the Saints back in front. The Saints have kicked 3.0.18 from marks today. They average 50 per cent accuracy in this category, ranked 14th in the AFL in 2017.
36:43
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Sam Gibson)
38:15
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
38:19
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
38:29
St Kilda have recorded 12 clearances in the first term to lead North Melbourne by four in this category. However, the Kangaroos have outscored the Saints from this source 4.1.25 to 1.2.8 in a highly efficient performance this term.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:04
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Josh Bruce)
03:41
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)
05:26
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
05:46
In a start reminiscent of the first term, the Kangaroos are kicking at 92 per cent efficiency compared to the Saints 58 per cent efficiency in this category. However this time it's the Saints getting the first goal of the quarter to retake the lead.
07:33
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jack Ziebell)
08:21
Both of the Kangaroos scores this term have come from defensive half Intercept Possessions. They average 24.5 points per game from this source, the fourth best average of any side in 2017.
08:57
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
12:46
North Melbourne are yet to win a clearance in this term, as the Saints have won six straight, and will win their seventh on Jack Steven's kick for goal.
13:34
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Steven)
13:36
Kangaroos Interchange - Braydon Preuss off due to an injury.
15:47
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
17:02
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Luke Dunstan)
17:12
That behind to Dunstan is the Saints third behind from a set shot this term with no goals scored from this source. At the start of this round, the Saints had the fourth-worst accuracy of any team in the competition this season from this source.
17:46
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
19:30
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Maverick Weller)
21:34
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
22:13
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Blake Acres)
22:53
St Kilda have launched six possession chains from their attacking midfield zone this quarter for 1.3.9 compared to just the one for the Kangaroos for no score. The Saints average 29.8 points per game from this zone, ranked ninth in the AFL in 2017.
23:43
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Nick Riewoldt)
24:52
Jack Steven has won six of the last nine clearances in this match. He averages 4.9 clearances per game this season, ranked second at the Saints in this category.
27:34
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Billings)
28:30
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
28:48
North Melbourne might have to run with Todd Goldstein as their only ruckman in the second half. Braydon Preuss is yet to re-enter the game after over 15 minutes on the bench with what appears to be a shoulder injury.
30:09
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Sebastian Ross)
32:28
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Shane Savage)
32:32
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
32:42
Both teams have been able to translate their Centre Bounce Clearances into inside 50's at 100 per cent efficiency in the first half. However the Kangaroos have outscored the Saints from this source 3.1.19 to 0.2.2 in the first half.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
02:24
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
03:44
Tim Membrey gets his first goal of the game after a quiet first half. If he kicks another goal, he will have the second longest streak amongst all current players of consecutive games with two goals (currently at seven, behind Josh Kennedy's 11).
04:44
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Todd Goldstein)
07:42
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)
09:26
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Braydon Preuss)
10:03
St Kilda spent 75 per cent of the second term in their forward half, the Kangaroos have lifted their forward half kicking efficiency (78 per cent) and recorded seven Intercept Possessions, leading to 60 per cent time in front half in the third term.
11:39
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Steele)
11:44
Jack Steele gets a just reward for his efforts this term with his first goal of the match. He has recorded three tackles this term, the only player with multiple tackles for either side, plus leading all players with six pressure acts.
13:12
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Taylor Garner)
14:49
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Nick Riewoldt)
16:15
The five rushed behinds the Kangaroos forced for the Saints in the second term is the most recorded for any team in the AFL in any quarter in the last three seasons.
16:51
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Sinclair)
17:04
Kangaroos Interchange - Braydon Preuss off due to an injury.
19:26
After losing the contested possession count by 16 in the second term, the Kangaroos have really worked hard to turn the tables in the third term and lead the Saints 26-15 in this category.
20:36
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jade Gresham)
22:02
That behind to Billings was their first miss from six shots at goal this term. Regardless, it is a much improved performance from the second term. They average 21 points per game in the third term this season, the fourth worst average in the AFL.
23:19
Saints Interchange - Sam Gilbert and is possibly out for the game.
27:11
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Luke Dunstan)
28:24
Sam Gilbert looks to be done for the day as he puts the tracksuit on after coming off five minutes ago with what looks like a hamstring injury.
29:11
Saints Interchange - Maverick Weller off due to the blood rule.
30:12
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Newnes)
31:52
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
32:16
Josh Bruce gets his third goal from his ninth target inside 50 to extend the lead to eight goals. He leads all players for both scoreboard impact (19 points) and inside 50 targets.
33:00
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
33:10
If not for their inaccuracy in front of goals, the Saints dominance at the stoppages could have them further in front. They are 16 clearances ahead of their opponents however have only outscored the Kangaroos by eight points from this source 40-32.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:49
Ben Cunnington gets a just reward for his outstanding performance in today's match with the first goal of the final term and his second of the match. The Kangaroos are kicking at 100 per cent efficiency early in the last, the Saints at zero per cent.
05:16
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
05:18
Saints Interchange - Jimmy Webster off due to an injury.
05:47
Two inside 50's for two goals for the Kangaroos, compared to zero scores for the Saints from four inside 50's in the final term. The Saints average a score from 48.9 per cent of inside 50's this season, ranked fourth in the AFL.
08:50
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Josh Bruce)
10:42
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Shane Savage)
11:54
Scott Thompson has won 43 per cent of his defensive one-on-one contests in today's match. At the start of this round he ranked sixth in the AFL this season amongst the top 50 players for total defensive contests with a win rate of 38.9 per cent.
12:14
Kangaroos Interchange - Todd Goldstein and is possibly out for the game.
13:08
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
14:49
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
14:50
Two quick goals to Tim Membrey has sealed this match for certain for the Saints. His three goals today matches his best performance against the Kangaroos at Etihad Stadium, as he scored 18 points against them in Round 7 last year.
15:44
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
19:26
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Taylor Garner)
22:49
Blake Acres has helped ice this game for the Saints, recording 12 disposals including eight kicks at 88 per cent efficiency, as well as nine uncontested possessions and two score assists, all team-high's for the quarter.
23:34
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Josh Bruce)
24:03
Kangaroos Interchange - Kayne Turner and is possibly out for the game.
24:49
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jade Gresham)
25:03
Jack Steven has been best on ground today by some margin. He's recorded 40 disposals, 28 uncontested possessions and 15 contested possessions, 16 score involvements, 11 clearances, and four score assists, leading all Saints players on the ground.
27:38
The Saints have outscored their opponents 80-32 from Intercept Possessions in today's match, including 8.3.51 from defensive half Intercept Possessions.
29:06
Nick Riewoldt's last home game at Etihad Stadium has been a quiet one by his lofty standards, but his career speaks for itself in terms of his class and quality. He has recorded 1000 more marks than any other current player over his career.
29:24
The siren has sounded to end Q4.