ANOTHER brave performance from Nick Riewoldt has led St Kilda to its sixth win for the season, with a 37-point victory over Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
The Saints beat the Demons for the second time in six weeks, 12.11 (83) to 6.10 (46), adding further proof to the theory they're inching ahead of Paul Roos' men in the rebuilding stakes.
However it was a game that showed both teams still have a long way to go, with an error-riddled and low-scoring encounter demanding someone stand up and make a difference.
In the end it was a battle-weary Riewoldt, with three goals and 13 marks, despite the skipper sustaining a corked calf in his 'good' left leg early in the game.
He also had to contend with the after-effects of the strain he suffered in his right calf two weeks ago, plus a nasty laceration to the muscle he picked up last week against Richmond.
While his movement was limited, Riewoldt powered through - along with Dylan Roberton, Sam Gilbert and Sean Dempster - to lift his team to its 12th in a row against the Demons.
It was also Paddy McCartin's most encouraging performance for the Saints, with the No.1 draft pick kicking one goal and taking nine marks.
When these teams last met just more than a month ago, Leigh Montagna had to burst through the forward 50 and kick a goal with 19 seconds left for the Saints to pinch a two-point win.
After the first quarter on Sunday, it seemed the return encounter was unlikely to produce a similar thrilling conclusion.
By half-time, while the Saints' 20-point quarter-time lead had been cut to seven and the contest returned, the standard of the game hadn't improved.
Demons coach Paul Roos was fuming at the first change after his players managed just five inside 50s to the Saints' 20.
After half-time, opposing coach Alan Richardson would have been similarly furious after the Saints kicked just three behinds in the second quarter.
Put simply, it was an untidy half of football where turnovers were rife, goals hard to come by and kicking inside 50 woeful.
It didn't improve much after half-time, with five minutes of torrential rain opening the third quarter.
Despite Jack Steven's influence limited to 16 disposals by an excellent performance from Jack Viney (31 disposals), and consistent drive from half-back from Jack Grimes (28), the Demons struggled to get things going.
The Saints piled on six goals to two in the third after the rain cleared, and ended with two to one in a low-scoring finale to a scrappy July game.
Saint Jack Sinclair tries to fire off a handpass on Sunday. Picture: AFL Media
MELBOURNE 1.2 3.6 5.9 6.10 (46)
ST KILDA 4.4 4.7 10.8 12.11 (83)
GOALS
Melbourne: N Jones, Dawes, Tyson, Hogan, Garlett, Gawn
St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Dunstan 2, Savage, Sinclair, Lonie, McCartin, Newnes, Bruce, Weller
BEST
Melbourne: Viney, Grimes, Cross, Vince, Watts, Howe
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Roberton, Gilbert, Geary, Dempster, Fisher, Montagna
INJURIES
Melbourne: McDonald (left eye)
St Kilda: Armitage (shin), Webster (ribs)
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Viv Michie replaced Aaron vandenBerg in the third quarter
St Kilda: Eli Templeton replaced Hugh Goddard at three-quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Mollison, Wallace
Official crowd: 22,945 at the MCG
