Saints break North hearts to stay in top eight

Roger Vaughan | July 24, 2023

Brad Hill’s courage has been lauded after St Kilda denied stand-in North Melbourne coach Brett Ratten his revenge and stayed in the AFL top eight.

HIll went to hospital for scans on his chest after a fearsome bump from North’s Aiden Corr in the first quarter of St Kilda’s crucial 9.13 (69) to 9.6 (60) win over the Kangaroos on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.

The Saints were 16 points down at three-quarter time and would have dropped out of the top eight had they lost.

But they rallied with five goals to one in the last quarter, condemning North to their 16th-straight loss.

Saints coach Ross Lyon singled out Hill post-match, after Corr levelled him with his front-on bump.

The incident will come under match review, but Lyon said it appeared a fair bump.

“I’d prefer him to jump out of the way, rather than lose him, but he stayed on-line and Corr really nailed him – which is all fair and square,” Lyon said.

“I hope our members and everyone involved in the club saw what he stood up for.

“I know there’s been criticism of Brad at St Kilda. All I know is he’s a three-time premiership player (at Hawthorn), stood up in the biggest games and runs himself to death.

“It’s pretty significant if you go to hospital … (possibly) ribs or lungs.”

Lyon was also critical that the Marvel Stadium roof had been left open ahead of the game, meaning a wet surface and greasy conditions.

“It (the ball) was like a cake of soap,” he said. “I thought we got treated with contempt, both clubs.”

But Ratten, asked separately post-game, said he hadn’t noticed the condition of the ground.

Ratten also would not bite when asked for his personal feelings about the loss, given St Kilda sacked him last year after re-signing him only weeks earlier.

“Really, it’s more about the process for the club,” he said.

“It didn’t matter who the team was.”

The match was turnover central, with neither side able to build momentum until St Kilda took control in the final term.

It was a much needed win after the Saints had lost four of their past five games.

“It was nerve-wracking … gee, it was frustrating,” Lyon said.

“We showed really good character to dig out in the last quarter.

“That quarter resembled basically how we were playing in the first seven weeks of the year.”

Ratten said the Kangaroos showed plenty of the fight lacking in last week’s loss to Hawthorn.

“It feels like a maiden horse at the moment – you keep going to the races and you can’t win,” he said.

“But when you win one, you might win two, three and four.

“We just can’t get it done.”

The defeat was no fault of star North on-baller Luke Davies-Uniacke, who was best afield with 33 possessions – 23 of them contested – and 11 clearances.

Saints captain Jack Steele also racked up 33 disposals and put his side in front 12 minutes into the last term when he intercepted a clearing kick from Kangaroos defender Paul Curtis and goaled.

North’s Liam Shiels also injured his calf in the last term.