Unlike his predecessor, Saints coach Ross Lyon appeared to enjoy his side's NAB Cup success. Along with his players, he even cracked a smile.
St Kilda won the controversial 2008 NAB Cup after a hard-fought 5-point victory over Adelaide in trying conditions at AAMI Stadium last night in front of a paltry crowd of 26,283.
Despite a sluggish first half, the Saints' experienced midfield took control early in the second half, and coupled with blistering drive off half-back from Michael Tuck medallist Jason Gram, it was enough to see off a spirited Crows challenge.
The temperature didn't drop below 30 degrees for the duration of the contest, and the heat took its toll on the players from the outset. Regular rotations were the norm, stifling the chance to gain momentum early on.
Both teams will be pleased to have emerged from the game relatively injury-free, particularly the Saints, which gambled on Justin Koschitzke's fitness. For Adelaide, Nathan Bassett and Chris Knights didn't complete the game after suffering minor complaints, but precaution was paramount on a night of oppressive weather.
The game began with both teams trading behinds as they grappled with the conditions. The Crows frequently sent the ball long inside 50 to exploit the Saints' lack of height in defence, as in the absence of Max Hudghton and Matt Maguire, St Kilda was reliant on Sam Gilbert and Jason Blake filling key defensive posts.
But nobody in the Saints backline would have been expecting a near match-winning performance from emerging youngster Kurt Tippett.
Originally a basketballer, Tippett hauled in strong marks throughout the night, seeing off Sam Gilbert and youngster Jarryd Allen to boot four goals and be the dominant forward on the ground. He now looks certain to make his AFL debut in Round 1 against the Bulldogs.
With Ben Rutten keeping Koschitzke quiet, the Saints only kicked their first major early in the second term, with Nick Riewoldt finishing after a strong lead. Riewoldt looked dangerous, and his contest with Nathan Bock was intriguing throughout the night.
Jason Gram was left alone across half-back for most of the night, allowing him to rack up possessions at will, and together with the impressive Adam Schneider, they started gaining the ascendancy for their side. When Schneider supergoaled after a 50-metre penalty, the Saints took a 3-point into half time, despite being out-played by the Crows for much of the scrappy half.
The second half produced superior football to the first, with the tempo lifting as both sides grew weary. The Saints midfield of Hayes, Harvey and Montagna dominated the clearances in the third term, and when Gram kicked a wobbly supergoal, the Crows were suddenly on the back foot.
The Saints ruck duo of Michael Gardiner and Stephen King, who has now amazingly won three premiership medallions in five matches, both performed well despite regular rotations, and their combination was also pivotal in handing the Saints the upper hand.
Despite the Saints' lead hitting 20 points midway through the third quarter, the Crows refused to lie down, and they even hit the lead early in the last quarter after a superb goal from Nathan Van Berlo. But after trading goals in a tense term, it was the evergreen Robert Harvey, maligned through the week, who set up Milne late in the game to settle the match.
For the Crows, new recruit Brad Symes looks to be a handy inclusion to their already strong back half. Johncock, Bock and Rutten all performed robustly, and the improving Jason Porplyzia should see more midfield time this season after another impressive display.
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