The St Kilda Saints have keep their slim finals hopes alive, recording a 71-point win over the Carlton Blues on Sunday.
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Final score
Carlton 7.9.51
St Kilda 19.8.122
The St Kilda Saints make the short trip across town to face the Carlton Blues this afternoon, with their faint hopes at the top eight still on the line. Join The Roar from 1:10pm for all the live highlights and action.
The Blues are right in the middle of another losing streak right now, but have put up a good fight against some pretty tough top eight sides in recent weeks.
Their seven-match losing streak began at the hands of the Saints back in Round 12, going down by 32 points to kick off a run that would see their finals hopes completely dashed.
The Saints, on the other hand, are holding on to slim hopes at a finals berth with time running out in the season.
St Kilda can only get in if the Kangaroos lose every one of their remaining games and the Saints win all of theirs – a remarkable turnaround for North Melbourne who were undefeated and leading the comp early in the year.
Despite coming off the back of a 23-point loss to the Roos last week, the Saints did win their three previous to keep that aforementioned finals dream alive.
Team news
For the Blues, veteran Andrew Walker will play his 202nd and final game in the AFL, having announced his retirement earlier in the week because of knee issues.
Andrejs Everitt and Liam Sumner have been knocked out of the match day squad to make room for Walker, as well as Dale Thomas who also makes his way back into the side from a calf injury.
For the Saints, coach Alan Richardson has made just the one alteration to his side that went down last week.
Defender Sam Fisher returns to the side in place of Daniel McKenzie.
Despite a late charge for selection, Paddy McCartin will miss out following his return to the VFL and a clearance of concussion issues.
Prediction
While Carlton have shown a lot of fight and resolve in recent weeks as their season continues to slide, that fight hasn’t been able to bring them wins.
The Saints, while not exactly setting the world on fire themselves, have been a much better side through most of the season and certainly have the upper hand heading into this one.
The poor old Blues might be extending their losing streak after today.
St Kilda to win by 34
Connor Bennett
Editor
The Roar's AFL MVP votes: 3 - Jack Newnes 2 - Tim Membrey 1 - Patrick Cripps
Connor Bennett
Editor
Andrew Walker is chaired off the park with tears in his eyes as the curtain comes down on his 200+ game AFL career. A wonderful player for so long.
Connor Bennett
Editor
FULLTIME The final siren sounds and it's all over, in what turned out to be a very convincing display from the Saints, winning every quarter on their way to a 71 point victory. St Kilda 19.8 (122) Carlton 7.9 (51)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Blues get the turnover and look to work it out of the danger zone... but they've turned it over and Josh Bruce picks up the mark 35 from goal. GOAL SAINTS!! Josh Bruce with yet another goal for the afternoon, making the set shot from 40 out look easy as anything. St Kilda 19.8 (122) Carlton 7.9 (51)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Carlton pressing in the forward 50 as time runs down. Credit to them for continuing the fight in a lost cause. St Kilda are happy to just douse the Blues offence and slow the pace of the game down. St Kilda 18.8 (116) Carlton 7.9 (51)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL SAINTS!! Tim Membrey now has five!! It's an absolute gift from the Blues back line. The short ball inside the defensive 50 went over it's mark and it was Membrey who picked it up, took one step and fired it home from 40 metres. St Kilda 18.8 (116) Carlton 7.8 (50)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL CARLTON!! Bryce Gibbs gets his first goal of the day and a bit of a consolation for the Blues. Some very handy ball movement through the midfield allowed Gibbs to use the free space, walk it into the forward 50 and hit it home from 40 metres out. St Kilda 17.8 (110) Carlton 7.7 (49)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL SAINTS!! Messy footy from the back by Carlton and Blake Acres is gifted an absolute dolly of a mark in front of goal. He takes it back, sends it towards goal and curves it back from out right to get it through the middle. St Kilda 17.8 (110) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL SAINTS!! The Saints get another one and they break triple figures. St Kilda 16.8 (104) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL SAINTS!! He missed one less than a minute ago, but Membrey makes no mistakes this time around. Gets his fourth goal of the afternoon with a very fine set shot from 25 metres out and all but right in front. St Kilda 15.8 (98) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' The forward 50 opening up for the Saints now and they have a three on one match up for the long ball. Tim Membrey takes the mark in front to his team mates towards the left boundary line and he'll take it back for a shot on goal. He's missed it!! Hooked it through the left gate for a behind from 35 metres out. St Kilda 14.8 (92) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' St Kilda are making light work up the flanks, just leading the counter down the right boundary line and up towards forward 50. The Blues are struggling to contain the edges. St Kilda 14.7 (91) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Riewoldt is sneaking around behind the Blues back line... and he's given the ball to play with!! Absolutely nothing in front of him and 60 metres out from goal. He can run it in, but he's just jogging a long. He decides to shoot from 40 metres out!! He's missed it right for a behind but he could have walked that in a lot further. St Kilda 14.7 (91) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
FOURTH QUARTER The final term gets underway!! Can the Blues rake something back in this contest? Or will the Saints turn this into a demolition job?
Connor Bennett
Editor
THREE QUARTER TIME Another big start to a quarter for the Saints and it looked like their lead would be blown out of the water, but a late comeback from the Blues has contained the damage for the time being. The deficit is still one you feel can't be reeled in though. St Kilda 14.6 (90) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q3' Patty Cripps with a chance to kick another goal as the siren sounds in the background to end the quarter. GOAL CARLTON!! 35 metres out and just left of centre, Cripps makes it look easy to send his side into the final break that little bit closer. St Kilda 14.6 (90) Carlton 6.7 (43)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q3' The Blues are looking much stronger here as they press into the forward 50. But they've turned it over in front of goal. The Saints are weathering a bit of a Blues storm in the last five or so minutes. St Kilda 14.6 (90) Carlton 5.7 (37)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q3' The Blues are again just rolling down field here... and they have another one!! GOAL CARLTON!! Zach Tuohy drills it home from the edge of the forward 50, getting plenty of distance on it to keep his sides very slim hopes alive. St Kilda 14.6 (90) Carlton 5.7 (37)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q3' GOAL CARLTON!! There we go!! The Blues get their first goal of the quarter off the back of some nasty ball work from the Saints back line, and some opportunistic footy from Carlton. Cripps gets the goods from the whole thing, breaking through a falling tackler and into open space before firing it off from 30 metres out . St Kilda 14.6 (90) Carlton 4.7 (31)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q3' GOAL SAINTS!! And just like that, the Saints have gone end to end on the counter and kicked the goal that the Blues couldn't. Nick Riewoldt gets his first of the day, taking the mark 30 metres out with so much open space he could have had a cup of tea waiting for the defence. Sinks the shot at goal with ease to turn the lead into 65 St Kilda 14.6 (90) Carlton 3.7 (25)