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AFL top 100: Round 18 preview – St Kilda versus Melbourne

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Roar Guru
27th July, 2019
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If any St Kilda supporters still believe stand-in coach Brett Ratten can finish the season on a high by winning the final five games of the year and sneaking into the eight, they’re dreaming.

While only two games (and a lot of percentage) outside the eight, the Saints have a traffic jam of five other teams above them also outside the eight and striving to get in.

No doubt the true believers will have done their sums and realise that at least six teams above them on the ladder will not gain four points this weekend, and they will be hoping that the numbers fall correctly to maximise what would truly be a miracle outcome.

The dream may be maintained for one more week if they can beat Melbourne, one of the four teams with no hope of making, it this weekend.

They did it in style in Round 5 this year, beating the Demons by 40 points at the MCG.

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However, they will come up against a team that appears to be regaining its mojo after a very lacklustre start to the season in which big things were expected after a largely successful 2018.

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The Saints strengthened their team with the inclusion of Ben Long for the 26th game of his career and the 12th game for 2018.

For the Demons, Oscar McDonald was a ready-made replacement for the injured Steven May, and there were two other omissions, replaced by Tim Smith and Oskar Baker.

Including the earlier match this season, the two teams have met 215 times, with Melbourne holding sway, having won 121 of these games with the one draw between then way back in 1921.

Former Collingwood player Nathan Brown will bring up his 50th game for St Kilda in the only traditional milestone in the match.

Historical milestones are also thin on the ground, with the St Kilda’s top three elite game players all no-shows, so it is left to the two near the bottom of the list to carry the flag. Jack Newnes is selected on the wing to play his 152nd game and Sebastian Ross in the centre to play his 120th game and pass the record of the legendary Darrel Baldock, captain of the only St Kilda premiership side. It also means he draws level with Russell Greene, who was sensationally traded to Hawthorn mid-term and went on to play over 300 AFL games.

Goal kicking-wise the twin wowers (Josh Bruce and Tim Membrey) are playing up forward for the Saints and will continue their goal kicking battle, with Bruce currently leading by three goals.

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At Melbourne, two current elite game players will be on the field: captain Nathan Jones and Neville Jetta. If Jones plays one more year, he will move one step closer to becoming the leading game player of all time at the oldest Australian football team, Melbourne. AFL top 100 elite Jordan Lewis will also play for the Dees.

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