St Kilda’s stars answered coach Scott Watters’ call to take charge of their destiny and celebrated Brendon Goddard’s 200th AFL game with a 76-point win over the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.
Goddard was outstanding, as were fellow Saints key players Lenny Hayes, captain Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna in the 16.22 (118) to 6.6 (42) swamping of the Dogs.
While the Saints are still 10th, their percentage is well above that of North Melbourne (eighth) and Fremantle (ninth), meaning if they can make up the one win by which they trail those sides, they should make the eight.
Watters said the Saints were left “rudderless” late in the previous round’s loss to top-placed Sydney because of insufficient on-field leadership.
But he was delighted with the leaders’ response.
“They owned training this week, they played a key part in developing our strategy for the week and most pleasingly they executed really well and I was proud of the way they went about it,” Watters said.
Riewoldt took 14 marks and kicked 4.3, Hayes combined 28 touches with three goals and Goddard had 33 disposals while limiting Dogs skipper Matthew Boyd’s influence.
But Watters said the senior players needed to again drive the club against Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night.
“We really need to pit ourselves, improve ourselves against some of the quality sides and that will be the challenge that goes straight to our leaders,” Watters said.
“We can’t be satisfied with the result tonight.
“We actually have to take that to another level to keep our season alive.”
Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney said it was tough pitting many lightweight Dogs youngsters against hardened Saints veterans.
But he said while such heavy defeats were understandable, they were not acceptable.
“Don’t for one second think we’re accepting this and we won’t,” said McCartney, whose side suffered a sixth straight loss.
“There are players who are going to go out of our team next week and the week after and the week after who aren’t working hard enough and competing hard enough.
“We’re going to keep scouring and looking for ruthless people who want to fight for their position.”
Defender Robert Murphy was the Dogs’ best for his stopping job on Stephen Milne, while Boyd, Ryan Griffen and Liam Picken battled hard.
The Dogs lost tough midfielder Daniel Cross to a shoulder injury, while St Kilda’s Adam Schneider was subbed off midway through the third term with a hamstring injury.
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