St Kilda Secures Crucial Victory Over Port Adelaide
St Kilda managed to secure a vital 14-point win against Port Adelaide in the final match of the Gather Round, showcasing their resilience and determination. The game took place at the rain-soaked Adelaide Oval, where the Saints overcame a late challenge from the Power to claim a 12.9 (81) to 9.13 (67) victory.
The Saints started the game strong, leading by significant margins in the first half. They maintained a commanding 32-point lead in the second term and remained 31 points ahead midway through the third quarter. However, the Power made a strong comeback, scoring three goals in quick succession to narrow the gap.
Port Adelaide trailed by nine points at three-quarter time and by eight points early in the last quarter. Despite this, they showed remarkable determination, with Zak Butters playing a pivotal role with 31 disposals and 10 inside 50s. The Saints’ Jack Silvagni scored a crucial goal from a 50m ‘stand’ penalty against Jason Horne-Francis, giving them a much-needed advantage. A long kick from Mattias Phillipou sealed the victory for the Saints.
This win lifts St Kilda’s record to two wins and three losses, matching Port Adelaide’s standing. Saints coach Ross Lyon acknowledged the importance of the win but remained focused on the broader picture.
“No outlandish statements here,” Lyon said. “It was round five; bank four (premiership) points – there are teams with 20 points that we’re trying to catch.”
Nasiah Wangeen-Milera was a standout performer for the Saints, contributing two goals, 28 disposals, nine tackles, and eight clearances. Mitch Owens and Phillipou also each kicked two goals, while Hugo Garcia and Jack Sinclair provided strong support in the midfield.
On the other side, Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters and Jason Horne-Francis were instrumental, with Butters recording 31 disposals and 10 inside 50s, and Horne-Francis contributing two goals and 26 touches. Mitch Georgiades and Corey Durdin each added two goals to the Power’s tally.
The Saints dominated the opening term, scoring four consecutive goals. When Phillipou converted one, the Saints led 27-0. Wangeen-Milera continued his strong performance in the second term, kicking a goal and delivering several inside 50s to help extend the lead. However, Port responded with a three-goal quarter, only for Owens to score a late goal to increase the halftime lead to 27 points.
A key moment in the third term saw Owens awarded a dubious free kick for a ruck infringement. This led to a confrontation between Butters and the field umpire, Nick Foot, resulting in Butters being penalised 50m and reported for abusive language. Owens converted the free kick, extending the Saints’ lead to 31 points.
Butters later addressed the incident, expressing his confusion about the decision. He stated:
“I know what I said, and I didn’t say anything bad. I’d love to know the language that I said because I went up to him (field umpire Nick Foot) after the game and obviously wanted to have a chat, like two humans do, and he said he didn’t want to speak to me. All I said (at the time of the incident) was: ‘How is that a free kick?’ And he gave a 50 and said I was on report … I am curious to follow that one up because I am never going to say anything bad to the umpire.”
Despite the late surge from Port Adelaide, the Saints managed to maintain their lead, eventually securing a comfortable victory. The team’s ability to withstand the pressure and close out the game highlights their strength and composure under challenging conditions.
