A second-half blitz has seen St Kilda overpower Essendon 17.13 (115) to 10.12 (72) in the clubs’ final tune-up in Ballarat before the start of the premiership season.
Despite the Bombers’ competitiveness and positive signs throughout the afternoon, the Saints created their buffer with a ten-goal-to-four second half, but it came at an injury cost.
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Co-captain Cal Wilkie exited the game in the first quarter with a corked calf, before Ryan Byrnes left in the third term due to a right ankle complaint.
The club quickly confirmed Wilkie would take no further part after copping a knock early in the first term, having received treatment from medical staff at ground level.
Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said on Fox Footy: “The thing I noticed most at quarter-time was the Wilkie injury. He was hobbling a fair bit, and I think that’d be a concern for them coming up to Opening Round.”
Despite some showers earlier in the afternoon, the sides were treated to better conditions in the regional Victorian city after Friday’s Community Series clash between Melbourne and Richmond was abandoned due to lightning in the area.
And Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was the biggest beneficiary of the more suitable setting, kicking four goals, gathering 28 disposals and notching 12 score involvements to be best-on-ground for the afternoon.
The big-money superstar ran riot in the first half in particular, booting three goals from 17 disposals and six score involvements.
Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy said: “He might get double figures this year, coming out of the goalsquare … this is going to be scary — a full-back running to this bloke in the goalsquare one-out.”
Asked if Wanganeen-Milera had gone past Collingwood champion Nick Daicos, Hinkley pointed to the Saint’s prolific scoreboard impact.
“This bloke is the most exciting thing in football,” Hinkley said after ‘Nas’ booted his fourth of the afternoon.
“I think so (he has gone past Daicos) because of this. Four goals one — I think that (scoreboard impact) is what he’s gone past.”
Re-live St Kilda vs. Essendon in Foxfooty.com.au’s blog below!
ST KILDA SELECTED SIDE
B: L.Stocker 14 C.Wilkie – C 44 A.Caminiti 47
HB: A.Tauru 26 N.Wanganeen-Milera 7 R.Byrnes 13
C: M.Windhager 2 H.Boxshall 38 D.Wilson 22
HF: M.Phillipou 25 M.Owens 10 M.Hall 40
F: C.Sharman 43 J.Higgins 1 R.Marshall 19
Foll: T.De Koning 21 S.Flanders 9 J.Sinclair 35
I/C: J.Macrae 6 B.Hill 8 I.Keeler 17 J.Carroll 18 L.Ryan 31 M.Wood 32 H.Garcia 34 C.Banfield 36
Emg: H.Clark 11 D.Butler 16 D.Howard 20 A.Dodson 30
Missing: Dan Butler, Dougal Howard, Jack Silvagni, Hunter Clark, Max King, Liam Henry
ESSENDON SELECTED SIDE
B: A.McGrath – C 1 Z.Reid 31 B.McKay 32
HB: M.Redman 27 Z.Johnson 40 J.Nguyen 42
C: J.Prior 25 Z.Merrett 7 B.Fiorini 8
HF: A.Perkins 16 P.Wright 20 D.Parish 3
F: A.May 26 N.Caddy 30 K.Langford 4
Foll: L.Blakiston 46 J.Caldwell 6 S.Durham 22
I/C: J.Farrow 2 D.Sharp 15 A.Roberts 21 X.Duursma 28 M.Kondogiannis 29 H.El Achkar 33 A.Clarke 36 S.El-Hawli 41
Emg: E.Tsatas 5 J.Gresham 11 V.Visentini 17 M.Guelfi 35
Missing: Jade Gresham, Matt Guelfi, Jordan Ridley, Nic Martin, Nik Cox, Nick Bryan, Isaac Kako
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