North Melbourne coach Brad Scott’s only lament after his team’s promising AFL season ended with a 23-point win over St Kilda was that Ben Brown couldn’t snatch the Coleman Medal.
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Final score
St Kilda Saints 14.10.94
North Melbourne Kangaroos 17.15.117
It is a somewhat subdued end to the AFL 2018 home and away season, with St Kilda finishing off their season at Etihad Stadium against North Melbourne. Join The Roar for live scores and updates from 4:40pm (AEST).
Truth be told, it was a curious decision by the AFL to finish the home and away season with this fixture.
No disrespect to either of these sides, but when the Round 23 fixture was released, it was clear that St Kilda, at the least, were not competing for much by way of any finals impacting goals.
St Kilda showed a flicker of life last week in a commanding performance over Hawthorn that deserved more than the result showed. As Alistair Clarkson noted in his press conference, the better team lost.
The dual storyline here for St Kilda will be the players showing to their coach that they are worthy of another go-around in 2019, while for Alan Richardson, he will be hoping for a strong final game to give his club some faith for one more year.
If Jack Lonie can go anywhere close to repeating his form from last week, then the Saints should be largely more than competitive.
As for North Melbourne, what a season this could have been.
They started the season like a team possessed, alas that form simply could not be sustained, and they will watch on in September.
As with the Saints, players will be playing for contracts next year, and no doubt a last loss to the Saints to finish the year would leave an unnecessarily sour taste in the mouth going into the off-season.
Can Ben Brown chase down the Coleman Medal? Maybe.
You would think if he is a chance, with a quarter to go, then that should be the driving force behind the Kangaroos game plan to finish the year off with a little bit of style.
Prediction
I am not convinced that the Saints can bottle last week’s lightning and manage to strike twice. The Kangaroos are for intents and purposes a stronger team, and should give Brad Scott something to think about for the new year and another tilt at finals.
Kangaroos by 26.
Join The Roar for live coverage of the game from 4:40pm (AEST), and don’t forget to leave a comment below.
perry cox
Roar Guru
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Gotta say, re: Hartung, never thought I would hear that.
perry cox
Roar Guru
Full Time A fun affair, with the Kangaroos running out 17.15 (117) to 14.10 (94) winners over St Kilda. Ben Brown missed out on the Coleman, and Jarrad Waite finishes off with a win to his name, his last kick in the game hitting the post after the siren. North were always in control, but in a testament to their season, they never really killed off the opposition, and you always felt they were a chance to slip up. Saints to their credit made it a contest, which was essentially a contest for pride, and the likes of Lonie, Steven, Billings and Carlisle should be ably assisted by the likes of Membrey and a fit McCartin next year. and that brings to an end the AFL home and away season for 2018. Big first round of finals coming up in two weeks - the Tigers meet the Hawks in September for the first time, a Sydney derby. You will see it all here on The Roar. But tonight, the Kangaroos finish their season with a well deserved win. Roos by 23.
St Kilda Saints: 94 North Melbourne: 116
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 29' - Waite will have the last kick of the game, and of his career, after the siren. And doesn't that sum up his career? He has hit the post. Roos by 23.
St Kilda Saints: 94 North Melbourne: 117
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 28' - And this game slowly peeters out, neither side really applying themselves with much vigour. It is a chance for Waite to soak up his last moments as a professional AFL player. Someone just said he's going out on top. They do realise his team is missing the finals, right?
St Kilda Saints: 94 North Melbourne: 116
User
Roar Rookie
About right imo, next year especially with the likelihood of polec coming we need to really pass judgement. Never thought I'd say this but once Hartung went down they never looked the same.
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 26' - Newnes will be another goal here for the Saints. Making the scoreline that bit more respectable. Can they crack the ton the Saints? Roos by 22.
St Kilda Saints: 94 North Melbourne: 116
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 23' - Waite wants more, but he can't kick true from the scrap. Roos by 28.
St Kilda Saints: 88 North Melbourne: 116
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 22' - So it looks like North will finish a win and percentage out of the 8 this year. Considering their start, what do we make of their year? Over- or under-achieve?
St Kilda Saints: 87 North Melbourne: 115
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 20' - And that is a wonderful moment. Jarrad Waite is literally the only man within 60m of the goal square, and he gets the ball. He strolls in, he bounces it once, and he softly kicks it through, and runs to the adoring crowd to soak in the adulation. What a moment for the big man. Roos by 28.
St Kilda Saints: 87 North Melbourne: 115
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 19' - And as Ben Brown is taken down, it looks like he won't be Coleman happy this year. What do we make of Jack Reiwoldt taking out the title?
St Kilda Saints: 87 North Melbourne: 109
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 17' - Saints string a few passes together, find themselves on the attack. Roos looking a little bit more attentive in defence now. Not letting the Saints have it easy. Ball up, ruck appears, Saints break through Gresham, but Waite is in wait for the intercept mark.
St Kilda Saints: 87 North Melbourne: 109
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 15' - Goldstein in on the party, the ball comes to him in the left pocket, and he has all the time to line up a goal. Now, the question is: what was he doing out there in the pocket on his own in the first place? Roos by 22.
St Kilda Saints: 87 North Melbourne: 109
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 12' - And again: hard running, precise kicking, great lead by Membrey. He will line up for a goal from the left pocked. He snaps, and makes it work. Now, granted, that came from a woeful kick out of defence that the Roos didn't punish, but again, great play from the Saints when they want to. Roos by 16.
St Kilda Saints: 87 North Melbourne: 103
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 9' - Nice play from the Saints there, and they get a goal for their troubles through Jack Lonie. Strong running, precise kicking, fine set shot to complete the play. When Saints play well, it does look good. Roos by 22. St Kilda Saints: 81 North Melbourne: 103
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 7' - Shaun Higgins this time with the point for the Roos. Roos by 28.
St Kilda Saints: 75 North Melbourne: 103
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 5' - Well, someone was bound to kick true eventually, and it's Jarrad Waite, with a round house outside boot kick from the boundary. Roos by 27.
St Kilda Saints: 75 North Melbourne: 102
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 4' - Saints with another point. If their plan is to whittle down this lead one behind at a time, they need a new plan. Roos by 21.
St Kilda Saints: 75 North Melbourne: 96
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 3' - And Roos almost go up the other end and immediately punish the Saints for their profligacy. But the ball does not bounce true, instead hits the post. Roos by 22.
St Kilda Saints: 74 North Melbourne: 96
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 2' - Saints applying some pressure, but not where it matters. Can't get the goal, just another point. Roos by 21.
St Kilda Saints: 74 North Melbourne: 95
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind Rightio then, here we go, last half hour of footy for these two. And it's the Saints on the attack here. They get a behind for their hard efforts. Roos by 22.
St Kilda Saints: 73 North Melbourne: 95