St Kilda narrowly defeats GWS Giants by eight points in a nail-biting AFL clash

AFL Sunday Scoreboard

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By Andrew McGarry

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Saints vs Giants

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Match reports

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Tigers vs Lions

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FT: St Kilda 14.12 (96) beats GWS 13.10 (88)

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By Andrew McGarry

The Giants try their hardest, but they can't get the goal they need to force a final centre bounce.

The clock runs down, the siren sounds, and Docklands erupts in cheers. The Saints win by eight points!

Whew. That was an intense game, and it didn't let up all day.

Both sides could have mounted cases for a win, but in the end, Liam Ryan's six goals made the difference.

That's a relief for the Saints after last week's late loss to the Swans.

The win means St Kilda passes GWS by 0.1 of a percentage point to take their spot in 10th!

Giants leave Jake Stringer hanging

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By Andrew McGarry

The Saints are hanging on, the Giants break clear, jesse Hogan has it and he goes long, but ignores a free Jake Stringer.

No mark!

90 seconds left.

Chaos and errors aplenty at Docklands

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By Andrew McGarry

This game is turning into chaos, with the ball bouncing away from players and poor disposal.

We are just over two minutes to go, the Saints have it at the right end for them, and the Giants are running out of time.

Saints up by eight in time on

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By Andrew McGarry

A behind to St Kilda leaves the margin at eight points with a little over five minutes on the clock. Strap in!

Cooper Sharman extends Saints lead again

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By Andrew McGarry

It's goal for goal at Docklands.

The Saints hit Cooper Sharman in the pocket, and he nails the kick!

It's a two-score game again.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera looks a little proppy after getting his foot caught under a tackler in midfield leading to the goal. But I think he's ok for now.

Giants back to within a point

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By Andrew McGarry

It's not really hard to tell the difference between Saints goals and GWS goals.

When the Saints score, there is a huge roar. When the Giants score, there is silence.

There isn't a lot of noise right now, except for a few lone GWS drummers, after a big kick to the pocket and a mark to Jesse Hogan.

Hogan hasn't been sighted much today, but he kicks the goal and the margin is a single point!

Aaron Cadman replies for the Giants

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By Andrew McGarry

Every time they look like they're sliding out of contention, the Giants find a way.

This time it's Aaron Cadman who kicks his third of the day, and we're back to single figures!

Half a quarter to go. Game on!

Liam Ryan has six!

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By Andrew McGarry

Liam Ryan has been on some level the last fortnight.

Last time out he kicked five for the Saints, and now he has gone for six!

A turnover from the Giants saw the ball funnelled forward, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera chipped to the top of the square for ... who else?

Ryan marked and he kicked the goal.

The lead is back out to 13. What a performance from Ryan.

The Orange Tsunami sets up Toby Greene

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By Andrew McGarry

No, the Giants aren't going anywhere!

They get the ball back in the middle and suddenly the old reliable Giants fast ball movement kicks in, with handballs and players hitting the gap on the fly.

A long kick out the back to Toby Greene, sets up the GWS skipper for another goal.

The margin closes in again.

Liam Ryan you star!

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By Andrew McGarry

Oh. My. Days. Liam Ryan!

He has been having a day out, and that might be his best!

He launched himself for a ball inside 50 as he was kind of shoved from behind.

He went on the ground, as the ball pinged around.

It came back to him, he grabbed it and rocketed to his feet, swung around and snapped over his shoulder for it to bounce through.

That could be a big one! Out to 13 points.

Saints answer through Cooper Sharman

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By Andrew McGarry

A quick answer to St Kilda and it's Cooper Sharman with his third of the day. An important goal there.

The Giants get the early goal to Cadman

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By Andrew McGarry

The first couple of minutes of the final term are a bit of an armwrestle, but the Giants finally get an opportunity, and a few handballs get clear to Aaron Cadman, who snaps one from 35m out.

The lead is back to eight points.

3QT stats

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By Andrew McGarry

Inside 50s: 43-31 GWS

Clearances: 35-24 GWS

Centre clearances: 13-8 GWS

Contested possessions: 93-93

Uncontested possessions: 189-170 GWS

Marks inside 50: 12-8 St Kilda

Tackles: 54-33 St Kilda

3QT: St Kilda 10.10 (70) leads GWS 62

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By Andrew McGarry

The Saints run out of time with one last attack as the siren sounds.

With a quarter to go, there are eight points in it, and that's a fair reflection of a high-energy, very tight game at Docklands.

That game could have been blown open or turned around, but a string of misses, including a handful of posters from both sides, mean that everything is in the balance.

You still think that Liam Ryan is likely to prove the difference, however Jake Stringer (three goals) and Clayton Oliver (31 disposals, seven clearances, six inside 50s) could still win it for GWS.

Don't go anywhere!

Now Liam Ryan hits the post for Saints

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By Andrew McGarry

Is there a wood magnet in the ball!

That's two posters inside 90 seconds. The Saints went forward and it was Liam Ryan who should have been ironed on for a fifth goal of the day, but he hit the post.

Seven-point margin in time on.

Poster for Jake Stringer

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By Andrew McGarry

St Kilda has been in control the last little while here, but the Giants moved the ball quickly to hit up Jake Stringer inside 50.

The big man's kick looked good, but it shifted late and hit the post!

The lead is back to a kick.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera kicks an absolute bomb for the Saints

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By Andrew McGarry

The intensity is rising at Docklands!

The Saints are nailing some tackles. They didn't get any frees, and the fans were a little angsty about it, then Phoenix Gothard got monstered by Marcus Windhager, who jumped on top of him afterwards prompting a bit of to and fro between the sides.

Inistead of taking the kick, he handballed to Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who ran and thumped a kick through from 50-plus.

He was celebrating before it went through, as the Docklands crowd went off their collective heads.

Huge goal for the Saints.

The lead is back to seven points halfway through the third quarter.

Giants get the reply

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By Andrew McGarry

Well there you go!

If it's not going to be Liam Ryan (or Nas) kicking the goal, then it HAS to be Jake Stringer!

A beautiful Giants move at speed down the wing ends up with Stringer in the square, and he snaps his third. The Giants steady, and instead of the lead being out to three goals, it's back to three points.

This is a very entertaining game under the lid.