1. Doing the Eagle ruck
He could have been mistaken for a hippy who destroyed a vegie burger and hitched a Kombi up from the Margaret River Pro, but the Saints were happy big Tom Hickey was at Domain Stadium. That West Coast is vulnerable in the ruck is no secret but Hickey was all over the Eagles’ latest duo of Nathan Vardy and Jonathan Giles in the first term as St Kilda opened up a 19-point quarter-time lead. Vardy, in particular fought back and his battle with Hickey ended up being a highlight of the match. But the one percenters, the smothers, tackles, tap-ons of the big Saint gave him the honours on the night. The ruck situation isn’t getting better in a hurry for the Eagles with Nic Naitanui (knee) and Scott Lycett (shoulder) not due back until the back half of the season, however veteran Drew Petrie should be back in a month or so when his broken hand heals.

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2. Saints’ road drought goes on
It was better than the 103-point drubbing they got from West Coast last season but the Saints still can’t win away from home. They lost all five interstate games last year and haven’t tasted success for 10 trips. They last won interstate in round nine, 2015 when they beat the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. As is often the case, bad kicking kills the travelling team and the Saints were left to rue plenty of misses in the first three quarters when they were the better team.

3. Chocolates to boiled lollies to match winner
Josh Kennedy has won the past two Coleman Medals and started the season with seven goals at Etihad Stadium last Sunday against North Melbourne so it was inevitable he was going to terrorise the Saints, wasn’t it? Well at quarter-time he had yet to touch the ball, had just the two touches at half-time, the same as his marksman, Nathan Brown. At three-quarter time he still had just the one goal and three disposals. But his three last-term goals proved the difference in a game where the Saints wasted their chances and the Eagles kicked accurately at goal.

4. Joey’s golden oldie
Leigh Montagna was blowing pretty hard in his first game for 2017 and his 272nd overall. But one glorious moment late in the second term showed why he has thrived for so long. As Eagles defenders looked to flip it among themselves deep in defence, ‘Joey’ put in the hard yards to put on some pressure and it paid off in spades when he smothered Sharrod Wellingham’s handball and soccered through a goal from close range. And didn’t he love it. It was arguably bettered by well-travelled Eagle Giles who snapped a left-foot banana from a tight angle late in the third term.

5. Rushed behinds
The Friday night rushed behind ruling against Sydney seemed to spook the Saints when they refused to concede under extreme heat just seconds before three-quarter time. A scrappy kick out quickly came back in and Luke Shuey’s mark and resultant goal after the siren cut the margin to just one straight kick at the final change. It gave them momentum heading into a last quarter that they dominated, although West Coast didn’t get in front until after 20 minutes had gone in the final term.