ST KILDA kept alive its slim finals hopes on a day dedicated to retiring great Nick Riewoldt, but the Saints may need to go forward without Jake Carlisle.
Carlisle was reported twice in a fiery finish to a competitive opening term, starting with a strike to North Melbourne midfielder Luke McDonald's throat that sparked a melee on the siren.
The ex-Bomber had already put everyone on alert when he hurt his back in the warm-up and required a fitness test to take his place in a match St Kilda won 18.19 (127) to 12.6 (78).
Alan Richardson, who unusually coached from the sidelines, rated the performance "really positive", particularly the game-altering second quarter.
"They were playing pretty good footy (early); it was a real arm wrestle at that stage of the game," Richardson told reporters.
"The second quarter was as dominant as we've played in a while – 15 scoring shots to two, but we kicked 4.11, so weren't able to maximise that dominance. But to the boys' credit, the guys stuck at it and were able to get a bit of reward.
"I'm really pleased it was a big day for 'Rooey' and a big day for our fans to come out, given this will be the last time he runs around out here and that wasn't lost on the players. So with that in mind, they're proud of their performance."
WATCH: Silky Steven's stellar evening
Only the 10th-placed Saints' season-long struggles in front of goal prevented them winning by more and making greater improvement to their relatively paltry percentage.
They need to beat Richmond for the second time this year and rely on wins for Hawthorn (over the Bulldogs), Fremantle (Essendon) and Adelaide (West Coast) to book a finals berth for the first time since 2011.
It was a fitting farewell in what was almost certainly Riewoldt's last match at Etihad Stadium, where he has kicked more goals than anyone else. He will strive to prolong his 335-match career when he faces the Tigers next Sunday.
Five talking points: St Kilda v North Melbourne
Young Roo Dan Nielson (concussion) didn't make it to quarter-time, copping an accidental Josh Bruce knee to the head that saw him stretchered from the field in a neck brace. A thumbs-up to the crowd indicated he was OK, but he took no further part.
Kangaroos defender Daniel Nielson was taken off on the stretcher in the first quarter. #AFLSaintsNorth pic.twitter.com/7pnvTz5T3j
— AFL (@AFL) August 20, 2017
St Kilda took time to shake the Roos – inspired early by a prolific Shaun Higgins – and it was hard work even once it began dominating the clearances and snatching control in contested ball.
The Saints had 14 successive scoring shots after North captain Jack Ziebell gave his side its final lead inside the first eight minutes of the second term. But it was a slow burn, with 10 of the first 12 only behinds, including five rushed by a desperate Roos defence.
The teams' respective forward-half disposals for the quarter (78-19 in St Kilda's favour) told a sorry tale for the blue and white.
There was an inevitability about it, with St Kilda prime movers Jack Steven (40 possessions, 11 clearances) and Seb Ross (36, seven), plus the improving but still scratchy Luke Dunstan (32), running rampant.
Smooth moves from Jack Sinclair. #AFLSaintsNorth pic.twitter.com/OKA01JOTMO
— AFL (@AFL) August 20, 2017
North threatened to make the Saints pay for their wastefulness when they briefly made a stand early in the third term to cut the difference to 21 points. But a Riewoldt goal kick-started four on the trot to put paid to the Kangaroos' challenge.
St Kilda's advantage peaked at 55 points when the exciting and brilliant Jade Gresham joined Bruce and Tim Membrey with three goals apiece.
Brilliant running goal by Jade Gresham! #AFLSaintsNorth pic.twitter.com/ALA4uYX7hj
— AFL (@AFL) August 20, 2017
The Saints' long list of contributors, including the silky Jack Sinclair and hard-running Jack Newnes, overwhelmed a North line-up too reliant on Higgins and Ben Cunnington on a difficult day.
Higgins (32) was unable to maintain his hot early pace, but was the reason the Kangaroos led early in the contest. Cunnington was prominent in the clinches and won a team-high 36 disposals and added two majors.
North coach Brad Scott was pleased with his players' "energetic start", but said they were well beaten in the final three quarters.
"They completely turned the game around inside the contest after quarter-time and we were very reactive in the stoppages after that, and they really got on top of us and then outworked us from there," Scott said.
"We tried to peg it back in the second half, but again, St Kilda were very clean and very crisp with their movement away from the contest, and I thought that was the most significant difference between the sides.
"I thought the St Kilda midfield overall got right on top through weight of numbers … and losing four guys throughout the course of the game for periods of time (hurt us)."
MEDICAL ROOM
St Kilda: The Saints' sole concern is defender Sam Gilbert, who left the field in the third quarter with an abdominal issue. Coach Alan Richardson said Gilbert was "less likely than likely" to play next week in the must-win clash with Richmond. "He didn't take part in the last quarter. He's got a strain in his abs, so it's unlikely that he'll play."
North Melbourne: Key defender Dan Nielson (concussion) left the game for good after copping an accidental knee to the head from Josh Bruce in a first quarter marking contest. The game was held up for more than five minutes as trainers placed Nielson on a stretcher. Todd Goldstein left the match briefly in the opening term after a finger in the eye, but returned in the second quarter. Of more concern was the knee injury he sustained late in the contest. Braydon Preuss (right shoulder) played the match out despite disappearing into the rooms midway through the second term. Jack Ziebell (foot) and Cameron Zurhaar (back) will also be monitored.
NEXT UP
St Kilda may already know its finals scenario by the time it plays Richmond at the MCG on Sunday week, but regardless it must defeat the Tigers to have any chance. There will be twisted interest in North Melbourne's round 23 clash at the Gabba against the Brisbane Lions, with the loser to claim the wooden spoon.
ST KILDA 4.3 8.14 14.17 18.19 (127)
NORTH MELBOURNE 5.2 6.3 8.5 12.6 (78)
GOALS
St Kilda: Bruce 3, Membrey 3, Gresham 3, Riewoldt 2, Savage 2, Billings, Acres, Weller, Steele, Sinclair
North Melbourne: Garner 2, Brown 2, Hrovat 2, Cunnington 2, Simpkin, Gibson, Ziebell, Goldstein
BEST
St Kilda: Steven, Ross, Dunstan, Billings, Steele, Newnes
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Higgins, McDonald, Goldstein, Garner
INJURIES
St Kilda: Sam Gilbert (abdominal)
North Melbourne: Daniel Nielson (concussion), Todd Goldstein (left knee)
Reports: Jake Carlisle reported for striking Luke McDonald and Declan Mountford in two separate incidents in the first quarter
Umpires: Margetts, Kamolins, Wallace
Official crowd: 29,126 at Etihad Stadium
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
Nick Riewoldt's last home game at Etihad Stadium has been a quiet one by his lofty standards, but his career speaks for itself in terms of his class and quality. He has recorded 1000 more marks than any other current player over his career.
GOALKangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)
The Saints have outscored their opponents 8032 from Intercept Possessions in today's match, including 8.3.51 from defensive half Intercept Possessions.
Jack Steven has been best on ground today by some margin. He's recorded 40 disposals, 28 uncontested possessions and 15 contested possessions, 16 score involvements, 11 clearances, and four score assists, leading all Saints players on the ground.
GOALSaints (Jade Gresham)
Snap (15-30m, Corridor)
North Melbourne InterchangeRobbie Tarrant replaces Kayne Turner and is possibly out for the game.
BEHINDSaints (Josh Bruce)
Blake Acres has helped ice this game for the Saints, recording 12 disposals including eight kicks at 88 per cent efficiency, as well as nine uncontested possessions and two score assists, all teamhigh's for the quarter.
GOALKangaroos (Taylor Garner)
BEHINDKangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
Two quick goals to Tim Membrey has sealed this match for certain for the Saints. His three goals today matches his best performance against the Kangaroos at Etihad Stadium, as he scored 18 points against them in Round 7 last year.
GOALSaints (Tim Membrey)
GOALSaints (Tim Membrey)
North Melbourne InterchangeTodd Goldstein off due to an injury.
Scott Thompson has won 43 per cent of his defensive oneon-one contests in today's match. At the start of this round he ranked sixth in the AFL this season amongst the top 50 players for total defensive contests with a win rate of 38.9 per cent.
GOALSaints (Shane Savage)
BEHINDSaints (Josh Bruce)
Two inside 50's for two goals for the Kangaroos, compared to zero scores for the Saints from four inside 50's in the final term. The Saints average a score from 48.9 per cent of inside 50's this season, ranked fourth in the AFL.
St Kilda InterchangeJimmy Webster off due to an injury.
GOALKangaroos (Ben Brown)
GOALKangaroos (Ben Cunnington)
Ben Cunnington gets a just reward for his outstanding performance in today's match with the first goal of the final term and his second of the match. The Kangaroos are kicking at 100 per cent efficiency early in the last, the Saints at zero per cent.
Q4 is now underway.
If not for their inaccuracy in front of goals, the Saints dominance at the stoppages could have them further in front. They are 16 clearances ahead of their opponents however have only outscored the Kangaroos by eight points from this source 4032.
Without Ben Cunnington the Kangaroos would be finding themselves in a much deeper hole than they currently are. He lead all players on the ground in the third term with 11 disposals, four groundballgets and seven contested possessions.
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
Josh Bruce gets his third goal from his ninth target inside 50 to extend the lead to eight goals. He leads all players for both scoreboard impact (19 points) and inside 50 targets.
GOALSaints (Josh Bruce)
BEHINDSaints (Jack Newnes)
St Kilda InterchangeJack Sinclair replaces Maverick Weller due to the blood rule.
Sam Gilbert looks to be done for the day as he puts the tracksuit on after coming off five minutes ago with what looks like a hamstring injury.
BEHINDSaints (Luke Dunstan)
St Kilda InterchangeSam Gilbert off due to an injury.
BEHINDSaints (Jack Billings)
That behind to Billings was their first miss from six shots at goal this term. Regardless, it is a much improved performance from the second term. They average 21 points per game in the third term this season, the fourth worst average in the AFL.
GOALSaints (Jade Gresham)
After losing the contested possession count by 16 in the second term, the Kangaroos have really worked hard to turn the tables in the third term and lead the Saints 2615 in this category.
North Melbourne InterchangeBraydon Preuss off due to an injury.
GOALSaints (Jack Sinclair)
The five rushed behinds the Kangaroos forced for the Saints in the second term is the most recorded for any team in the AFL in any quarter in the last three seasons.
GOALSaints (Nick Riewoldt)
GOALKangaroos (Taylor Garner)
Jack Steele gets a just reward for his efforts this term with his first goal of the match. He has recorded three tackles this term, the only player with multiple tackles for either side, plus leading all players with six pressure acts.
GOALSaints (Jack Steele)
St Kilda spent 75 per cent of the second term in their forward half, the Kangaroos have lifted their forward half kicking efficiency (78 per cent) and recorded seven Intercept Possessions, leading to 60 per cent time in front half in the third term.
BEHINDKangaroos (Braydon Preuss)
BEHINDKangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)
GOALKangaroos (Todd Goldstein)
Tim Membrey gets his first goal of the game after a quiet first half. If he kicks another goal, he will have the second longest streak amongst all current players of consecutive games with two goals (currently at seven, behind Josh Kennedy's 11).
GOALSaints (Tim Membrey)
On the Run (0-15m, Corridor)
Q3 is now underway.
Both teams have been able to translate their Centre Bounce Clearances into inside 50's at 100 per cent efficiency in the first half. However the Kangaroos have outscored the Saints from this source 3.1.19 to 0.2.2 in the first half.
Shaun Higgins and Andrew Swallow have lead from the front for the Kangaroos in the first half. They recorded 20 and 18 Pressure Acts respectively to be the two leading players in this category on the ground in the first half.
St Kilda recorded their third best inside 50 differential measure of the season in the second quarter, outperforming the Kangaroos 197 in this category. However they were only able to turn that territorial dominance into 4.11.35.
Shane Savage kicks a goal after the siren to extend the lead to 23 points. He recorded 178 metres gained in the second term, the most of any Saint. He is the topranked player at St Kilda with an average 20.5 metres gained per effective disposal in 2017.
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
GOALSaints (Shane Savage)
BEHINDSaints (Sebastian Ross)
North Melbourne might have to run with Todd Goldstein as their only ruckman in the second half. Braydon Preuss is yet to reenter the game after over 15 minutes on the bench with what appears to be a shoulder injury.
BEHINDSaints (Rushed)
BEHINDSaints (Jack Billings)
Jack Steven has won six of the last nine clearances in this match. He averages 4.9 clearances per game this season, ranked second at the Saints in this category.
GOALSaints (Nick Riewoldt)
St Kilda have launched six possession chains from their attacking midfield zone this quarter for 1.3.9 compared to just the one for the Kangaroos for no score. The Saints average 29.8 points per game from this zone, ranked ninth in the AFL in 2017.
BEHINDSaints (Blake Acres)
BEHINDSaints (Rushed)
GOALSaints (Maverick Weller)
BEHINDSaints (Rushed)
That behind to Dunstan is the Saints third behind from a set shot this term with no goals scored from this source. At the start of this round, the Saints had the fourthworst accuracy of any team in the competition this season from this source.
BEHINDSaints (Luke Dunstan)
BEHINDSaints (Rushed)
North Melbourne InterchangeBraydon Preuss off due to an injury.
BEHINDSaints (Jack Steven)
North Melbourne are yet to win a clearance in this term, as the Saints have won six straight, and will win their seventh on Jack Steven's kick for goal.
BEHINDSaints (Rushed)
Both of the Kangaroos scores this term have come from defensive half Intercept Possessions. They average 24.5 points per game from this source, the fourth best average of any side in 2017.
GOALKangaroos (Jack Ziebell)
In a start reminiscent of the first term, the Kangaroos are kicking at 92 per cent efficiency compared to the Saints 58 per cent efficiency in this category. However this time it's the Saints getting the first goal of the quarter to retake the lead.
GOALSaints (Josh Bruce)
BEHINDKangaroos (Shaun Higgins)
BEHINDSaints (Josh Bruce)
Q2 is now underway.
St Kilda have recorded 12 clearances in the first term to lead North Melbourne by four in this category. However, the Kangaroos have outscored the Saints from this source 4.1.25 to 1.2.8 in a highly efficient performance this term.
Shaun Higgins was excellent for the Kangaroos in the first quarter. He notched up 11 disposals, seven contested possessions, three clearances, three score involvements and a goal assist, leading all players on the ground in each category.
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
BEHINDKangaroos (Ben Brown)
GOALKangaroos (Sam Gibson)
Josh Bruce takes St Kilda's eighth mark on the lead of the match already and converts to put the Saints back in front. The Saints have kicked 3.0.18 from marks today. They average 50 per cent accuracy in this category, ranked 14th in the AFL in 2017.
GOALSaints (Josh Bruce)
Adding further pressure on the Kangaroos, Todd Goldstein has only just emerged from the change rooms after copping an inadvertent poke to the eye in a centre bounce. He has been off the ground for over 10 minutes.
Daniel Nielson looks to have been knocked out from an inadvertent knee to the back of the head and will go off on the stretcher. He is one of North Melbourne's 10 debutants this season, the most of any side in the AFL.
North Melbourne InterchangeDaniel Nielson off due to an injury.
BEHINDKangaroos (Ben Brown)
BEHINDSaints (Billy Longer)
North Melbourne InterchangeTodd Goldstein off due to an injury.
St Kilda have recorded five of the last seven inside 50's but only kicked two goals from these entries. Conversely, North Melbourne have scored a goal from their two entries in that time. They average a goal from 24.6 per cent of inside 50's this season.
GOALKangaroos (Ben Cunnington)
GOALSaints (Blake Acres)
BEHINDSaints (Jade Gresham)
GOALKangaroos (Ben Brown)
GOALSaints (Jack Billings)
BEHINDSaints (Rushed)
Hrovat gets the goal from the Higgins kick inside 50. North Melbourne have scored a goal from 26.2 per cent of Higgins's kicks inside 50 this season, the second best percentage amongst the top 50 players in the AFL for total kicks inside 50.
GOALKangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)
Jack Steven has started strongly for the Saints, as he has already recorded five disposals, two contested possessions, one clearance, one tackle and the goal assist on Gresham's goal, leading all players on the ground in each category.
GOALSaints (Jade Gresham)
On the Run (40-50m, Left Side)
The Kangaroos get the first goal of the match through Jy Simpkin off the back of a 50 metre penalty. Both teams have recorded 10 kicks early in this match, however the Kangaroos have recorded a kicking efficiency 40 per cent higher than their opponents.
GOALKangaroos (Jy Simpkin)
Q1 is now underway.
St Kilda's win over North Melbourne in Round 13 this year was their first win seven attempts. They had lost their previous six matches against the Kangaroos by an average of 38 points per game.
Since Round 10, St Kilda has recorded a tackling efficiency of 71 per cent in forward 50, the thirdbest percentage recorded by a side in that time. Also, they average 8.2 more tackles than their opponents, ranked first in the AFL in that time.
Ben Brown is the number one ranked player in the competition for targets inside 50, with 254 total targets this season. It's for good reason too, as only Charlie Dixon has taken more contested marks inside 50 (31 contested marks) than Brown (25).
Jake Carlisle looks to have injured his back in the warm up and might be a late out. St Kilda will be hoping he's OK, as he has the secondhighest individual win percentage (41.5 per cent) in defensive one-on-one contests this season.
North Melbourne average 13.7 points per game from Centre Bounce Clearances this season, the second best average in this category in 2017.
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
Ins for Kangaroos: J.Ziebell
Outs for Kangaroos: A.Mullett
Ins for Saints: N.Riewoldt
Outs for Saints: B.White
Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the St Kilda v North Melbourne Round 22 clash.