Last weekend, with 15 minutes left, Jack Billings had a chance to put St Kilda ahead from 30 metres out on about a 30-degree angle. Under immense pressure, he missed.
With about two minutes to go, Josh Bruce had a set shot to put the Saints seven points up. He missed.
It appeared that the goal kicking that has plagued the side throughout this season, and cost them at least one game, was going to again cost them.
After last week, a sense of foreboding was hanging over the crowd.
But belief is a strange thing. It’s what makes a crowd of 20,000 sound like 100,000. It’s what makes Billings, a player whose goal kicking has been inconsistent, seal a game under immense pressure. It’s what changes a team from one that cannot win into one that cannot lose.
Earlier in the year, Alan Richardson said that St Kilda were “playing not to lose”, rather than playing to win. It’s a fine line between the two, but the last two minutes shows the difference between the mentalities.
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After Bruce’s miss, St Kilda did not play like they believed were on the brink of defeat, they played like they were on the brink of victory. They pressured West Coast into a turnover and then Jade Gresham gave Billings his chance to be a hero.
A moment like that for Billings can surely change and spark a career. If he missed, St Kilda may have hung on for the last 30 seconds, but it would have been 30 seconds of hell. His goal, probably the most important of his career, has surely shown him that he belongs.
He has always had the skill and the talent, but he has played (and especially kicked for goal) like he has had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Whether that’s due to his high draft-pick number or because of his own expectations, we can’t know, but his celebration as the ball sailed over the umpire’s head showed the weight being lifted before our eyes.
The belief that St Kilda have been building something special, a belief that has waned in the last three weeks, is back. And if there is something special to come, Billings will be at the centre of it.
And so to next week, with what is being called by some the ‘first elimination final’. A loss for either team would almost certainly end their finals chances, promising a close, intense affair.
If St Kilda plays with the same belief that Billings had as he kicked that final goal, they will win. And if that happens, then the final two weeks of the regular season become very interesting indeed.
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Roar Rookie
People wonder why the Saints haven't geared on upwards from last season. Yes they have a much harder fixture, but it comes down to goal kicking. They have dropped from 5th in accuracy last season to 18th this season. They have dominated games and still been outscored, dropping their heads as a result and been blownout in a lot. Had they continued last sasons goal kicking form they'd be in the top four with a healthy percentage. The last two weeks were typical of it. losing to port in a game they dominated, and just beating the eagles despite finishing all over them - kicking 5-6 to 4-1 n the last.