Match

St Kilda vs Melbourne

Commentary / 27 Jul 2019

Pre Game

00:00
The Saints have won the past two matches against the Demons, as well as 16 of the past 19 encounters. Overall, Melbourne has a 121-93 winning record against St Kilda since 1897, with one match drawn.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:02
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
01:17
Bayley Fritsch has opened Melbourne's account with just the third kick of the night, following the centre clearance to Jack Viney. Viney averages 1.9 centre clearances per game in 2019, ranked second at the Demons.
03:27
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jordan Lewis)
05:21
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
06:30
It was noted pre-game that Melbourne has the lowest score rate once inside 50 of all clubs (37.5 per cent). It hasn't been a problem in the early proceedings tonight, with the Demons kicking goals from each of three forward 50 entries.
08:53
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Luke Dunstan)
11:04
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Sebastian Ross)
11:41
St Kilda has steadied following the initial three-goal Melbourne onset, and has scored from both its past two throw-in clearance wins. In the past month, the Saints have averaged 2.8 more clearances from this source than their opposition (ranked fifth).
16:31
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
16:38
Another goal from a throw-in clearance, with Josh Bruce doing it himself with the clearance and conversion. In the past ten minutes the Saints have been in possession for 32 per cent more game time than the Demons.
20:27
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Ben Long)
21:26
St Kilda has pulled back the early deficit and now lead by a point. Since the six-minute mark the Saints average 8.5 disposals per turnover, significantly better the the Demons' ratio of just 3.4 disposals per turnover.
23:38
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
24:20
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Josh Wagner)
26:50
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
29:24
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Michael Hibberd)
30:09
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
30:39
After equalling his career-high of four goals last week against West Coast, Bayley Fritsch has been potent again in tonight's first quarter. The Melbourne forward has recorded five disposals and two goals to this point.
33:34
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tim Smith)
33:37
The ruck and stoppage battle is one to watch, with Rowan Marshall (five hitouts-to-advantage) and Max Gawn (four) hard to split. The Demons have won one extra clearance but have outscored the Saints by 11 points from this score source.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:57
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
07:16
An error-riddled start to this quarter, with a combined 18 turnovers already committed by both sides. There were only 29 turnovers recorded in total for the entire first term.
09:45
In his fourth game for the season, Jake Lever is once again cementing himself as a key contributor in Melbourne's back line. The defender has won a game-high four intercept marks along with an equal game-high three spoils.
11:53
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Billings)
13:24
There have now been as many turnovers (29) committed by both sides combined in this quarter as there was in entire first term.
15:22
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Corey Wagner)
16:04
Perhaps it is fitting in this bizarre quarter that Corey Wagner snaps the first major with one of the most difficult kicks of the term. The Demons have now kicked four of their six goals in general play, well up on their season average of 43 per cent score of this type (ranked 16th).
17:30
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
18:27
St Kilda has been able to generate more traditional shots at goal, with seven marks inside forward 50 compared to just three taken by Melbourne. The latest taken by Josh Bruce in the contest has led to his second major.
19:31
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Tim Membrey)
20:58
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Ben Long)
22:56
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Doulton Langlands)
23:48
Interestingly, Max Gawn has helped the Demons to seven more hit outs for the term, however the Saints have won seven more clearances (10-three) than Melbourne. Gawn's opponent Rowan Marshall has won three clearances himself.
24:16
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jade Gresham)
25:20
Jack Steele is doing a fine job nullifying Clayton Oliver. Oliver has won just seven handballs without a kick, including just one disposal for the term, and just one clearance for the half. Steele has won ten disposals and three clearances going the other way.
25:56
Saints Interchange - Ben Paton off due to an injury.
26:17
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Hunter Clark)
27:51
The teams combined for 51 turnovers for the second term from a total of 194 disposals. This equates to a turnover every 3.8 disposals for the term, a significantly higher rate than the league season average of a turnover every 5.2 disposals.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
03:05
Melbourne has already entered forward 50 on four occasions this quarter, the same tally as the Demons managed for the entire second quarter.
05:37
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
06:15
St Kilda is first to hit the scoreboard in the second half, transitioning possession following intercept mark by Nathan Brown in defensive 50 to goal. The Saints have lifted their transition rate from defensive to forward 50 from seven per cent in the first term to 25 per cent since then.
07:24
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
07:43
Melbourne has now launched two goals from six centre bounce clearances. This season the Demons only average 7.1 points per game launched from centre clearances (ranked 17th in the league), under half of their average from 2018 (14.7 points per game).
08:30
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Oskar Baker)
08:55
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Angus Brayshaw)
12:00
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
13:27
St Kilda has been strong in the air inside forward 50, with Tim Membrey taking its 12th mark inside the forward arc and converting. The Saints have already surpassed their season average of 11.4 marks in that zone, while the Demons have taken just five tonight.
13:35
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
14:11
Tim Membrey has three goals from three kicks this quarter as the Saints find the efficiency they were striving for in the second term. This quarter they have managed their treble of goals from just five forward 50 entries.
16:43
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Lonie)
18:39
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
21:40
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
22:23
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Sebastian Ross)
22:56
Seb Ross has been the most impactful player on the ground. He leads all players with 331 metres gained, comprised of 20 disposals set up by three clearances and five intercepts. He has delivered the ball inside 50 on seven occasions and been involved in eight of his team's scores.
23:47
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Lonie)
25:54
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
26:38
Melbourne has won three more clearances than St Kilda this term and have launched all three of its goals from clearance wins. Across the game the Demons have launched 44 points from 24 clearances, more effective from that source than the Saints with 17 points launched from 29 clearances.
26:58
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Harrison Petty)
30:25
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
30:31
Both teams were far cleaner in the third term, with a combined 23 fewer turnovers committed and six extra goals scored. The Saints were potent on the counter-attack with all five goals launched from intercepts, while the Demons capitalised at the stoppages with three of four goals launched from clearances.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:21
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Clayton Oliver)
01:10
A great start to the final quarter for Melbourne with its third goal for the match generated from the centre bounce, following the clearance by Max Gawn. The Saints are yet to launch a goal from the centre bounce.
02:16
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
02:20
Shades of the first term as Melbourne has two goals for the quarter before St Kilda can register an effective kick. The Demons now have launched a total 25 points from centre clearances for the match, their highest total from this source for the season.
07:51
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Lonie)
08:45
St Kilda's transition out of defensive 50 has been a feature in the second half, with five of 11 attempts (45 per cent) ending inside forward 50 and now two resulting in goals. This season the league average transition rate is 19 per cent.
11:23
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
11:44
St Kilda's marking power inside forward 50 is a real weapon, now with 16 marks inside 50 (including five on leads), with Josh Bruce taking four in total (and three on a lead). The only match in which the Saints managed to take more inside 50 marks this season was last week against the Bulldogs (17).
13:10
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
13:51
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
15:09
After originating 35 distinct possession chains launched in defensive 50, Melbourne has finally generated a score, going end-to-end following the kick in. The Demons average a score launched from 10.4 per cent of kick ins this season (ranked third).
17:11
Saints Interchange - Blake Acres off due to an injury.
17:22
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Ben Long)
19:10
Ben Long's major has marked the eleventh lead change for the game, with nine coming after half time. Both sides have converted strongly from set shots, with St Kilda recording 8.2 (50) and Melbourne 5.0 (30) from those shots at goal.
20:46
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Nick Hind)
21:30
St Kilda has hit the left goal post on three occasions tonight.
22:12
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Lonie)
22:39
In the past 15 minutes, St Kilda has generated 11 of the 12 forward 50 entries and have enjoyed 77 per cent of that time inside their forward half.
23:40
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Nick Hind)
25:20
Sheer weight of entries is seeing St Kilda edge away with this match, with 10 extra inside 50s this term. The Saints have won six more intercepts than the Demons this term and have launched 25 points to no score from this source for the quarter.
25:44
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Billings)
27:14
The Saints scored 80 points launched from intercept possessions against the Bulldogs last round, their best result for the season. They have gone one better tonight, returning 13.6 (84) from 76 intercepts for the match.
30:07
St Kilda's transition game has been far more effective than Melbourne's. The Saints have won 41 defensive half intercepts and launched 37 points from these, while the Demons have won 50 defensive half intercepts without generating any resulting score.
31:18
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
31:24
St Kilda has outlasted Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, winning seven more clearances and nine more intercepts on its way to 21 extra forward 50 entries. The Saints took a season-high 19 marks inside forward 50 and kicked nine goals from the resulting shots.