THERE'S a new G-Train in town.
Bullocking forward Caitlin Greiser rubber-stamped her status as a St Kilda cult hero with two goals in a match-winning performance over Melbourne.
The Demons led for most of the evening, but it all turned once Greiser took a mark close to the boundary line midway through the final term and launched a bomb from 50 metres.
That outstanding effort handed St Kilda a 3.1 (19) to 1.8 (14) victory, its first ever in the NAB AFL Women's Competition.
Third-gamer Greiser spent the last two years in the VFLW and trailed only Collingwood's Jaimee Lambert in the goalkicking.
Greiser's partner in crime was the speedy Kate McCarthy, who set the tone with five bone-crunching tackles and broke the game open with 11 disposals.
The evening was soured slightly after another Melbourne player suffered a serious knee injury, with Maddy Guerin being assisted off in the second quarter.
The Demons believe Guerin has dislocated her patella, but will wait for scans to confirm that.
Melbourne has already suffered three ACL blows this season to Ainslie Kemp, Shae Sloane and Katherine Smith.
Karen Paxman was the stand out for the Dees with 26 disposals, bolstering her claim to the throne as the most in-form player in the league.
The Moment
Greiser's magnificent goal from outside 50 might have had a little assistance from the wind, but it was no doubt the standout moment of the game. With eight minutes left, the third-gamer had the composure of a ten-year veteran to slot the match-winner from a very tough angle.
Who's that?
Melbourne fans would have been frustrated watching several shots get swallowed up right on the goal line by St Kilda co-captain Rhiannon Watt. With a breeze favouring one side of the ground, Watt tracked back to take several key marks and keep the Saints afloat under serious pressure.
The first blow
St Kilda is getting better every week, with the chemistry up forward starting to click. Greiser tapped on a ball that allowed McCarthy to boot the ball deep towards the goals. Instead of registering a score, the ball stayed in and McCarthy was able to get it again in the pocket, before Greiser received a free kick straight in front en route to her first goal.
One to watch
Sinead Goldrick was a standout in the first quarter for Melbourne before sitting out the rest of the game under the concussion protocol. The Irish recruit seemed to find the football with ease and looked promising in her limited game time.
Say what?
"It was pretty special, I think that was the start of my speech tonight, it was a Friday night footy special." – St Kilda coach Peta Searle.
"If we kicked a little straighter we might be on the right end, but fundamentally the way we played we just didn't execute and play our roles the way we would have liked." – Melbourne coach Mick Stinear.
"I was actually a little bit disappointed that we didn't stop the game, because she was kind of in the middle of it." – St Kilda forward Kate McCarthy said in response to when Melbourne's Guerin went down with an injury.
"Kate McCarthy, I was standing with her when it happened and she was telling me that we've got to stop the play and I was telling her to get on with it. It was nice to have her concerned, it's good that she's so empathetic." – Daisy Pearce on when Guerin injured her knee.
What's next?
Melbourne faces Collingwood at Marvel Stadium next Friday at 5.40pm AEDT in a double-header with the State of Origin match for bushfire relief. St Kilda hosts Fremantle at RSEA Park on Sunday March 1 at 3.10pm AEDT.
ST KILDA 1.0 2.0 2.0 3.1 (19)
MELBOURNE 1.4 1.5 1.8 1.8 (14)
GOALS
St Kilda: Greiser 2, Guttridge
Melbourne: Scott
BEST
St Kilda: Greiser, Lucas-Rodd, Watt, Vesely, Guttridge, Drennan
Melbourne: Paxman, O'Dea, Gay, Pearce, Hore, Zanker
INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
Melbourne: Guerin (knee), Goldrick (concussion)
LATE CHANGES
St Kilda: Nil
Melbourne: Nil
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 4,012 at RSEA Park
