St Kilda has defeated Richmond at Norwood Oval in the penultimate game of the 2024 Gather Round, winning 9.13 (67) to 9.6 (60).
The Tigers were aiming for back-to-back wins and started the game strongly, though Adem Yze’s undermanned side was ultimately overrun by a determined St Kilda outfit.
The Saints, who square their 2024 ledger at 2-2, toppled the Tigers in the third quarter after being bolstered by the return of spearhead key forward Max King.
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Richmond blooded South Australian product Kane McAuliffe at Norwood Oval as one of four inclusions to the side that beat Sydney on Easter Sunday, also welcoming back superstar Dustin Martin, midfielder Jack Graham and key forward Jacob Koschitzke.
Returning from suspension for St Kilda was King, who came into Ross Lyon’s brigade in place of the suspended Marcus Windhager.
RICHMOND vs. ST KILDA — AS IT HAPPENED
The Tigers burst out of the blocks with four goals to nil in the first half of the opening quarter.
Two came off the boot of Shai Bolton.
Combined with the Saints’ inaccuracy it gave Richmond a 21-point lead at the opening break.
St Kilda was still goalless halfway through the second quarter with Max King missing one out on the full in a bizarrely low-scoring clash.
Jack Higgins finally nabbed St Kilda’s first goal with 30 seconds remaining in the first half, but the Tigers immediately responded through a Jacob Koschitzke post-siren set shot to take a 22-point lead into the main change.
Of St Kilda’s first-half play, Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson said “it was very slow going … it’s not damaging, it’s chip around and it’s chip sideways.”
The Saints booted the first goal of the second half through Tim Membrey, reducing their deficit to 13 points.
First-year Saint Darcy Wilson kicked the second goal of the third quarter, making it a seven-point game, before an Anthony Caminiti snap had the Saints on level terms early in the stanza.
Two more St Kilda goals from Max King and Mitchito Owens put Ross Lyon’s men ahead seven points, before a long-range strike from Shai Bolton (four goals) kept the Tigers neck-and-neck with the Saints.
Debutant Kane McAuliffe has entered the fray after starting the day as the sub, replacing Thomson Dow — who earlier suffered a rolled ankle.
The Saints took an eight-point lead into the final change.
Rowan Marshall kicked the first goal of the final term, giving the Saints a 14-point lead.
It was short-lived, though, as a dribbling Tyler Sonsie goal after a deft tap by Shai Bolton brought it back to a seven-point difference with plenty of time left.
St Kilda veteran Bradley Hill exited the game with a shin issue, while Tigers debutant Kane McAuliffe was also hampered by an ailment.
Meantime, Riley Bonner slotted a long-range Saints major to extend his side’s lead to 14 points with under 10 minutes of playing time remaining.
An opportunistic goal by Maurice Rioli Jnr pulled the back the margin to eight points with eight minutes left.
Up by nine with under two minutes left, it’s going to be hard for the Saints to lose from here.
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