Late Charge Not Enough

25 May 2008

ST KILDA slipped a game plus percentage outside the top eight after they were beaten by Brisbane at the Gabba today.

After a tight first quarter, the Lions ran riot on a hot Brisbane afternoon and were 21.15 (141) to 14.11 (95) winners.

Brisbane's two-pronged forward attack of Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw were unstoppable up front, kicking 12 goals between them - six apiece.

There wasn't much to get excited about for Saints' fans, although with limited chances Justin Koschitzke kicked four goals.

And the Saints did reduce a 69-point three-quarter time deficit by booting eight goals to four in the last quarter.

In his 150th game Stephen Milne had an unhappy time of things, being completely blanketed by Ash McGrath, kicking his only two goal for the day late in the final term.

It was a similar story for 200-gamer Steven King, who battled in the hot conditions.

The bright sparks came from Lenny Hayes, Luke Ball and Robert Harvey who ran hard all day.

The trio had 86 possessions between them, led by Hayes' 33, Ball with 27 and Harvey 26.

In what was at times a scrappy contest, Brisbane exploded with six goals to one in the second term, and another eight goals to three in the third to have an unassailable 69-point lead at the final change.

After Sam Fisher did a superb job on Brown in the first half, the Brisbane centre half forward cut loose after the main break, kicking four third quarter goals to snuff out any hope of a St Kilda comeback.

Max Hudghton was moved to Brown, and the Saints threw spare men back in defence, but it made little difference.

He added another two in the final term for six in the half to go with his 15 marks.

Bradshaw was not to be outdone and gave the Saints' defence headaches all day, taking both contested marks and some on the lead as Hudghton, Blake and Fisher all had their turns.

At the other end, chances were limited.

Captain Nick Reiwoldt provided a good target in the first half, but his duck hook from 20m out directly in front that snuck through for a behind summed up the Saints' day.

Three 50m penalties resulting directly in Brisbane goals also proved costly.

Quite simply Brisbane looked more desperate and more polished in front of the 27.566 fans.

In a nice twist in the league's indigenous round, Brisbane burst from the blocks with two goals to Rhan Hooper and a third to Anthony Corrie in the opening seven minutes.

St Kilda edged its way back into the match through a combination of hard work and poor skills from the hosts.

In one of the most inspiring pieces of play for the day, Harvey ran down Tim Notting and McGrath before smothering a Brown kick - all three efforts coming in the space of 15 seconds.

It counted for nothing though as Brisbane kicked six goals to one in the second quarter as the big forwards came into the contest.

The Lions had a 9.10 (64) to 3.7 (25) lead at the half.

MATCH DETAILS

Brisbane: 3.6 9.10 17.11 21.15 (141)

St Kilda: 2.4 3.7 6.8 14.11 (95)

GOALS

Brisbane: Brown, Bradshaw 6, Hooper 2, Black, Power, Clark, Roe, Corrie, Sherman, Harding

St Kilda: Koschitzke 4, Birss, Dal Santo, Milne 2, Montagna, Goddard, S.Fisher, Reiwoldt

BEST

Brisbane: Black, Adcock, Brown, Bradshaw, Power, Macdonald

St Kilda: Hayes, Ball, Birss, Harvey, Koschitzke, Dal Santo

INJURIES

Brisbane: nil

St Kilda: nil

Reports: nil

Umpires: McLaren, Chamberlain, Head

Official crowd: 27,566 at Gabba

All media requests for interviews, press releases, information, or images to be directed to:

Melissa Arbuthnot
melissa.arbuthnot@communecom.com.au

CommunEcom Strategic Communications
P.O. Box 689
Balgowlah NSW 2093

Ph: +61 2 9949 9788
Fax: +61 2 9949 9688

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