Saints suffer as attack goes missing

NICK Riewoldt said last week that not even Wayne Carey would have got a kick in St Kilda’s forward line the past two weeks.

Yesterday Saints coach Alan Richardson could have partnered Carey with Tony Lockett and Buddy Franklin and still struggled to kick a winning score.

Pitted against a Geelong team conceding a league-worst average of 62 inside-50s in the first three weeks, the Saints managed just seven entries in the first quarter.

The scoreboard read 1.4 (10) to the Cats’ 4.3 (27), though four of St Kilda’s five scoring shots were courtesy of umpire whistles.

Cats coach Chris Scott deployed a loose backman, often Tom Stewart, and would have been pleased with the improved defence.

But St Kilda’s scoring woes are the most glaring symptom of its form slump and Richardson’s team is now 1-3 for the fourth time in six years.

After Round 4 the Saints are ranked 18th for attack — a damning statistic given their first three matches were at Etihad Stadium. St Kilda has scored just 19.40 from its past three matches, and 17.27 from its past three mega losses at GMHBA Stadium.

The Cats’ ball movement, however, was bliss. For all of St Kilda’s grunt, and it won clearances 43-30, there was little polish to match. Daniel Menzel, the AFL’s most undervalued player, finished with 5.3 to cap the most productive month of his career — 14 goals.

The sharpshooter, who is only on about $200,000 after receiving little love as a free agent last year, booted the last goal of the first quarter and the first three of the second to kill the contest. Fancy to think a lack of defensive pressure cost him selection in last year’s qualifying final.

The Saints and Cats have both struggled in the ruck this season. Yesterday opponents Tom Hickey and Rhys Stanley were both yet to record a disposal until Stanley goaled 23 minutes into the second term.

But the Geelong line-up was loaded with weapons. Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield were below their brilliant best and Gary Ablett was absent, but youngsters Brandon Parfitt and Jordan Cunico were at theirs. Parfitt’s a clever little player with several deft touches in the first quarter important to the early lead.