AFL 2021 LIVE updates: Saints have sights on top eight as Power eye off top-four spot
Key posts
- High stakes for Saints, Power
- Saints locking down defensively
- Dunstan dining out
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High stakes for Saints, Power
What a massive match this is between St Kilda and Port Adelaide.
The Power have the chance to enter the top four after Brisbane’s loss to Richmond last night, while the resurgent Saints could finish the round in the top eight if they win today – who would have thought that three games ago when they capitulated to Adelaide in Cairns?
But if St Kilda are going to make it four wins in a row today, they’re going to have to defy history, because Port Adelaide has won nine of their last 10 meetings by an average of 37 points.
Incredibly, this is the first match between these two sides in Melbourne since 2013.
The Saints have only won three of their last eight games at Marvel Stadium while the Power have won four of their last six at the venue.
Scott Lycett and Jack Steele compete for the ball.Credit:Getty Images
Last time they met: Power expose Saints’ faults in commanding win
Port Adelaide clinically exposed the massive gulf between where many felt St Kilda were trending towards at the beginning of the year, and where they actually sit in the AFL’s pecking order with an Anzac Day wipeout, 14.9 (93) to 5.9 (39).
The Power, securing their third successive victory to hold on to third spot on the ladder, were composed and prolific in defence, played absolute keepaway in the middle of the park and looked dangerous every time they launched into attack, particularly in the first three quarters.
Conversely, the Saints looked under the pump in defence, completely incapable of corralling Port’s runners through the middle and were haphazard with their forward entries, giving their tall targets no chance.
Click here to read the full report.
Scott Lycett’s Port Adelaide proved far too powerful for Rowan Marshall and the Saints.Credit:Getty Images
Saints locking down defensively
Since Round 13, the Saints have conceded 53 points per game – the fewest of any side and 19 points below the AFL average. The Power have conceded 70.6 points per game over these rounds – ranked seventh. St Kilda has also conceded a goal from just 14.4 per cent of its opposition’s inside 50s – also ranked No.1.
Dunstan dining out
Greetings, everybody
Hello and welcome to the Round 18 edition of our live Saturday AFL mega blog.
And the fixture upheaval has continued as a result of the most recent COVID outbreak in Melbourne.
St Kilda and Port Adelaide will now play the early game at Marvel Stadium, after originally being scheduled to be held at night.
Instead, the late slot has now been filled by Melbourne v Hawthorn at the MCG, which was supposed to be a twilight match.
Gold Coast and the Western Bulldogs will do battle at Metricon Stadium at 4.35pm as planned.
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