Pre Game
00:00
The Demons have taken 20 intercept marks per game this season - ranked No.1 and 3.5 more than any other side. Steven May and Harrison Petty lead the Dees with three intercept marks per game.
Quarter 1
00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:30
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
00:40
Kysaiah Pickett boots the first goal for the game, sourced from a centre bounce clearance. The Demons average 1.7 goals per game from this source this season.
02:13
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Max King)
02:23
Max King registers a minor score from the Saints' first shot at goal. St. Kilda has recorded a scoring accuracy of 54.7% this season - the third-lowest percentage in the AFL.
06:03
Harrison Petty grabs the Demon's first intercept mark and just their fourth mark for the game. The Saints have controlled possession early, taking 11 marks to four.
08:33
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Jade Gresham)
08:43
The Saints have been wasteful early, scoring two behinds from five inside 50s, while Melbourne has kicked one goal from its three entries.
10:25
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Tom McDonald)
12:24
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Charlie Spargo)
12:34
Steven May has won two intercept possessions early in this game, with his second launching the Demons' second goal. Melbourne has launched 57 points from May's intercepts this season - ranked No.1 in the competition.
17:37
The Demons lead the contested possession count 27-21, including grabbing four contested marks to none. Melbourne has won the contested possession count by 15.4 per game this season - ranked No.1.
18:40
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Trent Rivers)
18:50
Melbourne has generated the last eight inside 50s, kicking two goals from these entries.
21:50
The Demons have already taken six intercept marks. Harrison Petty leads all players with two.
22:15
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
26:55
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
27:05
Kysaiah Pickett continues to be influential. He has accumulated eight disposals, with four of these being involved in a score for his team - two more than any other player.
29:57
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Tim Membrey)
30:01
Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder combined to win 10 hitouts in the opening term, with five of those going to the advantage of a teammate. This allowed the Saints to hold sway at stoppages, winning 11 clearances to the Demons' seven, but the Demons scored three goals to just one behind from this source.
Quarter 2
00:00
Q2 is now underway.
02:25
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Ben Brown)
02:35
Melbourne has generated seven inside 50s from 13 defensive midfield intercepts and kicked two goals from these entries. The Saints have generated just one inside 50 from seven intercepts won in their defensive midfield and failed to score from it.
04:57
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Rowan Marshall)
05:03
Demons Interchange - Jake Lever off due to an injury.
05:07
Rowan Marshall kicks the Saints' first goal, sourced from an intercept won by Jack Sinclair. Sinclair has won 43 intercept possessions this season - the second-most of any Saint.
06:47
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
06:57
Another goal from clearance to the Demons. Four of their six goals are from this source.
10:44
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Angus Brayshaw)
12:21
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Ben Brown)
12:31
The Demons are well on top, kicking four goals this quarter from eight inside 50s (50%). St. Kilda has scored one goal from its five entries (20%).
13:40
Clayton Oliver has collected 11 disposals this quarter as well as winning five clearances - both four more than any other player.
14:17
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Tom McDonald)
14:27
Melbourne has won four clearances inside 50 and booted three goals from these. It averaged one goal per game from this source across the first seven rounds. The AFL average is 1.1 goals per game.
18:21
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
24:40
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
25:56
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Paddy Ryder)
26:06
The Saints have been able to halt Melbourne's momentum in the last 10 minutes, winning six more contested possessions (15-9) and three more clearances (4-1) while kicking the only two goals in this period.
30:23
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Jack Steele)
31:35
57 is the Demons' highest half-time score this season, eclipsing the 55 points they scored against Gold Coast in Round 2.
Quarter 3
00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:01
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Mason Wood)
01:11
The Saints have been unable to convert their forward half intercepts into goals, scoring just 1.4 (10) from 14 intercepts in this zone. They have won 25.4 forward half intercepts per game this season, scoring 33.6 points per game from these - ranked fourth.
05:54
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Max King)
06:04
St. Kilda has generated five of the first six inside 50s this quarter and has now kicked the last three goals for the game, all from defensive midfield intercepts.
08:07
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
09:38
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Mason Wood)
09:48
Mason Wood has missed two opportunities to kick a goal early in the third quarter. He has recorded four disposals this term, none of them effective.
12:11
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Max King)
12:21
Max King had just two kicks and one behind to half-time. He has already recorded two kicks this quarter, with both resulting in a goal.
12:37
Saints Interchange - Bradley Hill off due to the blood rule.
14:41
The Saints are moving the ball more efficiently in the third term, generating three inside 50s from 10 defensive 50 chains. They went inside 50 just twice from 23 defensive 50 chains in the first half.
18:10
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Ed Langdon)
19:29
SCORE
BEHIND - Saints (Tim Membrey)
20:28
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Ben Brown)
20:38
Ben Brown ends a streak of four consecutive goals to the Saints and a series of 17 goalless inside 50s for Melbourne.
24:50
St. Kilda has grabbed seven marks to one from opposition kicks this quarter. Dougal Howard has grabbed two of these and is up to four for the game. He has also recorded 13 spoils across the game - eight more than any other player.
26:02
Melbourne has lost the third quarter for the first time this season. It was able to generate 16 inside 50s, six more than the Saints, but the Demons were able to kick just one goal.
Quarter 4
00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:09
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
01:19
The Demons have dominated out of the middle, winning 13 centre bounce clearances to the Saints' seven and kicking three goals to no score from this source.
03:17
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
04:32
Angus Brayshaw has grabbed a game-high 11 marks, including nine uncontested marks. He has taken 66 uncontested marks this season - ranked No.1.
05:28
Saints Interchange - Jack Steele off due to the blood rule.
08:37
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Marcus Windhager)
08:47
Jack Sinclair has now won a team-high seven intercept possessions, with two of these launching a goal for his team, including that one to Marcus Windhager.
10:23
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Rowan Marshall)
10:33
Rowan Marshall kicks the Saints' second goal from clearance. The margin is 25 points, and the Demons have outscored the Saints by 23 points from clearances.
13:22
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
18:03
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
18:13
Kysaiah Pickett has won 12 contested possessions - an equal career-high. He has kicked three or more goals in a game eight times in his 46-game career.
20:10
SCORE
GOAL - Saints (Jack Higgins)
20:20
St. Kilda has outscored the Demons by five points from intercepts (41-36). Melbourne outscored its opponents by 28.9 points per game from intercept possessions from rounds 1-7 - ranked second.
22:02
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
25:01
SCORE
BEHIND - Demons (Tom McDonald)
25:52
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
27:39
SCORE
GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
27:49
The Demons have now booted eight goals from clearance - a season-high for the club.
29:39
Demons Interchange - Jake Lever off due to an injury.
29:58
Melbourne wins its eighth consecutive game to start the season. It outscored the Saints by 36 points from stoppages (49-13) - its best differential in any game this season.