SAINTS SAIL HOME
COLLINGWOOD or the Western Bulldogs?
That is the question that will be on the lips of St Kilda fans after the Saints last night sealed their first finals berth in almost a decade with a 52point rout of the hapless Giants at the Gabba.
Who would the Saints rather face in a home elimination final, which they will probably ask the AFL to schedule at the Gabba?
After a nine-year finals drought some would settle for a final on the moon.
If results go to script it’ll be the Dogs, against whom Brett Ratten has already coached two easy St Kilda wins.
If Collingwood upsets Port Adelaide then it’ll be the Magpies, against whom the Saints have lost their past three by an average of 38 points, the margins growing every time.
Jack Billings booked St Kilda’s place in October with an open goal in the third quarter against GWS on Friday night. But he was the encore to a Rowan Marshall burst that booted the Giants from the 2020 race.
Saints fans clapped their hands red at Marshall’s eight disposals, six grabs and a goal in the third term.
Ben Paton helped quell Toby Greene, although endurance machine Josh Battle provided Ratten with arguably his biggest coaching win.
Battle kicked a beautiful firstquarter goal and then dragged All-Australian contender Nick Haynes to the wing, disarming his intercepting weapons.
The Giants lack imagination and inspiration and it was mystifying to see key forward Jeremy Cameron so far up the ground. No beaten Grand Finalist has returned to that stage since Hawthorn in 2013, and the Giants have followed Adelaide (2017) in missing the eight.