Blog log from R11 of 2024: Melbourne vs St Kilda

King and Hill chain up some handballs as they both stream inside 50 before King pops a kick up to Owens in the pocket. Owens takes a simple mark and then snaps through the opener! (Q1 4:04)
Viney bursts out of the middle of the ground and sends a ball in front of van Rooyen who marks on the lead. He stomps in to 35m out and kicks the response! (Q1 5:34)
Langdon marks a Windsor kick along the boundary line, but cannot complete the set shot, his kick sticking to the near side for a point (Q1 8:21)
McAdam flies high for a mark but the ball goes to ground and then it’s Langdon who gathers and flashes a handball out to Hunter who dribbles through a goal on return! (Q1 10:59)
McDonald sends a low dart towards Fritsch who marks in front on his chest. He runs in to kick from 45m out dead in front, but he pushes his kick left for a behind (Q1 13:30)
An aggressive Wanganeen-Milera kick in sees the ball turned over in the middle of the ground, and Langdon send it back inside 50 to Viney. Viney kicks from 35 out and goals! (Q1 14:59)
Howard rushes over a behind under pressure (Q1 22:42)
Wilson falls over at half back and the Demons look to punish on the counter through Pickett who tries to invent a magical goal, but not quite (Q1 23:16)
Langdon pushes a set shot wide to the right following a Salem 50m penalty. (Q1 24:16)
Bonner turns it over in the middle of the ground with a shocking kick and the Saints are caught with their pants down as Fritsch collects at half forward and snaps through a goal! (Q1 26:31)
Fritsch handballs to a stationary Salem at half forward who turns and kicks off a step but a lunging Higgins provides enough pressure to ensure it’s only a behind. (Q1 27:30)
Dow’s set shot from 50m out drops short and is smashes over the line by Gawn for a behind (Q2 3:37)
McAdam marks 30m out on the boundary line and opts for the drop punt. His kick sticks to the right for a point. (Q2 7:19)
Higgins wears contact from May as he mark 60m out, he puts it up for the pack and King takes a tumbling mark 25m out on an angle. He pops it through and the Saints have life! (Q2 11:51)
Wood finds the lead of Caminiti 40m out from goal on an angle. He starts the kick right and that’s where it stays for a behind (Q2 13:55)
Neal-Bullen catches Windhager HTB and plays on quickly yo Rivers on the run, he streams inside 50 and take a shot, but is offline for a minor score (Q2 18:53)
Henry takes a flying shot at goal but the ball thuds into the behind post for no score. (Q2 19:53)
Pickett is stripped of the ball inside 50 but no free is paid, the ball then bobbles out to Fritsch who swings around onto his right boot and snaps it through! (Q2 21:51)
Bonner slips through a tackle on the boundary and spots Steele in space, chipping a short cross to his captain. Steele kicks true from 35 out and the Saints are still in this! (Q2 25:38)
Higgins places a deep ball to the square and it’s King who takes the mark in front. He kicks his second goal from close range and the margin is back to 2 goals! (Q2 27:23)
Henry and Hill link up through the centre of the ground to find Caminiti in a 1 on 1 in front of goal. He marks 10m out on the 45, and misses badly to the left for a point. (Q3 2:23)
A turnover through the middle sees Oliver send the ball inside 50. It goes high and deep, and Gawn takes a double grabber 15m out! He puts it through to steady the ship! (Q3 8:37)
Tomlinson is pinged for high contact on King and the latter lines up for goal from 35m out as a result. It’s a tricky angle, and King’s kick drops short and Gawn taps it over (Q3 15:57)
Naarm quickly counter from the kick in, Pickett sends it down to van Rooyen out the back, he can’t mark but gathers well and chips it through anyway! (Q3 17:17)
Neal-Bullen handballs to Petracca out of the centre bounce and he runs to 55m, unleashing a monster kick that flies right through the middle for a goal! (Q3 18:16)
Windsor kicks to Langdon on the flank, he sizes up his options before squaring across the forward 50 to Chandler who slides in to mark 35m out. He puts it through! (Q3 19:32)
Bowey inspires a Naarm attack out of defence, Chandler kicks to Gawn, who then wheels around to find Sparrow 30m out in the pocket. Sparrow’s set shot thuds into the post through. (Q3 22:15)
The Saints manage to break through the Dees defence, as Ross kicks deep to Higgins who out marks Bowey 20m out from goal. He plays on and snaps through a goal to stop the rot. (Q3 24:35)
Neal-Bullen flicks a handball to Viney following a ball up and he steps around a couple of defenders before screwing through a goal! (Q3 26:13)
Pickett dashes along the boundary and manages to get a kick past a diving Hill, he works the angles to perfection and it’s a lovely finish! (Q3 29:53)
Langdon tries a running snap at goal but misses wildly for a point. (Q4 4:02)
A McDonald intercept mark sets up a quick counter through Rivers. He puts it in front of Petracca who is tagged high but Petty takes advantage, handball to Petracca, and goal! (Q4 7:20)
Ross puts on a nice step inside 50 and opens the space up to snap at goal, but it curls back late for a point (Q4 8:40)
Sharman presents after being activated as the sub, he marks strongly 20m out from goal, and then his kick is off to the left for a behind (Q4 10:08)
It’s a substitute shootout as Woewoedin marks 35m out from goal down the other end! However he too misses to the left. (Q4 11:22)
Van Rooyen has a set shot chance but he also misses to the left of goal for another point (Q4 12:40)
May marks in the middle of the ground and after King concedes a 50m penalty, May walks to 25m out dead in front and slots it as is teammates get around him! (Q4 15:05)
King bodies Tomlinson out of the contest and pulls in a mark down in the pocket. He slots his third goal. (Q4 19:05)
A high center clearance from Viney is marked by van Rooyen on a storming lead. JVR eases into the kick and gets the Demons one step closer to the ton. (Q4 20:40)
Ross steps around a man in the middle of the ground before finding Higgins with a nice kick. Higgins plays on quickly and screws through his second goal. (Q4 25:30)
Sinclair helps himself to some junk with a nice finish off his right boot. (Q4 26:21)
Pickett tries to dribble through a late goal, but it pops up into the padding. (Q4 27:41)
Wilson’s turn to have a late shot on goal as the game really opens up in the dying minutes. He gets his name on the board with a neat set shot. (Q4 29:21)
Van Rooyen hacks a kick out of a ball up in front of goal, he misses, but it brings up the 100 points for Naarm right before the siren sounds on an emphatic victory! (Final Siren)