Round Seven
Sunday, May 6, 3.20pm
St Kilda v Melbourne, Etihad Stadium
First quarter: Melbourne 5.1 (31) to St Kilda 2.5 (17)
St Kilda peppered the goals in the opening term, but was unable to capitalise.
The Saints had one more scoring shot – seven to six – by trailed by 14 points at quarter-time.
Charlie Spargo, who impressed considerably on debut last round, got Melbourne’s first for the day at the nine-minute mark. His major sparked four in a row by the Demons, with Max Gawn, Jesse Hogan and Christian Petracca following up.
The Saints secured their second via David Armitage in time-on, but when Hogan became the first multiple goalkicker, the Demons had five goals to two by the first break.
Angus Brayshaw had 12 touches and Dom Tyson had 10 disposals by quarter-time.
Second quarter: Melbourne 8.6 (54) to St Kilda 3.8 (26)
Inaccuracy again troubled the Saints, as Melbourne skipped away to a 28-point lead at half-time.
The Demons added three goals to one, with Tom McDonald, Nathan Jones and Dom Tyson kicking truly.
Tim Membrey was St Kilda’s only goalkicker for the term.
Clayton Oliver had 22 disposals by half-time, as Brayshaw and Tyson had 18 each.
A scare was sent through both camps, when Neville Jetta and Saint Paddy McCartin clashed heads during a contest at the 15-minute mark. Although both hit the deck, they remarkably got back to their feet, before being checked by their respective medical staff.
Third quarter: Melbourne 13.10 (88) to St Kilda 7.10 (52)
The Saints kicked two in a row to start the second half, closing the margin to 16 points.
It was the first time the home side registered two consecutive majors for the day.
But when Hogan opened Melbourne’s account in third term, it was the start of four in succession, resulting in a 42-point lead by the red and blue.
Hogan’s third came at the seven-minute mark, with goals from James Harmes, T.McDonald (his second) and Angus Brayshaw following in a 12-minute period.
St Kilda kicked two of the last three goals for the term – Sam Weideman booted his first for the season during this period – as Melbourne took a 36-point advantage into three quarter-time.
Final quarter: Melbourne 16.10 (106) d St Kilda 9.13 (67)
Melbourne extended its lead to 48 points early in the last term, when Weideman opened with his second and Oliver got on the board.
Rowan Marshall then had three shots at goal for the Saints, but managed three behinds.
And when Alex Neal-Bullen made it three majors in a row for the Demons, they led by 51 points.
St Kilda kicked the last two goals of the game, when Long and Armitage added their second each, but it mattered little in the overall result, as Melbourne won by 39 points.
Oliver finished with a game-high – and equal career-best – 36 disposals, as Angus Brayshaw had a personal-high 33 touches. Seb Ross, with 35 possessions, was St Kilda’s best ball-winner.
