Essendon forward Michael Hurley was enjoying his best game for the year against the Saints, marking everything in sight and looking extremely dangerous every time he went near the footy. But an awkward fall in a marking contest in the third quarter forced him to hobble off under the help of the Bombers' trainers. He instantly applied an ice pack to his left ankle and was immediately substituted out of the game. James Hird suggested after the match that it was an ankle ligament injury that would at least keep Hurley out of the Anzac Day clash – not a happy diagnosis for Essendon fans - but the form of Scott Gumbleton will give them some sort of confidence. Gumbleton took a number of clean grabs and kicked four goals in his first game since August 2012. Earlier in the day, the club's prized father-son draft pick Joe Daniher booted four goals in the VFL as he continues to hammer down the door in search of his senior debut.
2. Public Enemy No. 1
The St Kilda advertising boards before the game boasted the catchphrase; "Loyalty Unites Us" - presumably referring to Brendon Goddard's stunning defection from the Saints to Essendon during last year's free agency period in a move one would call far from "loyal". When Goddard kicked the opening goal of the game, he drew rapturous applause from Bombers fans at one end, and rousing boos from Saints fans at the other. That sort of reception greeted the former favourite son throughout the match, but Goddard had the final laugh, collecting 23 disposals and seeing his new side salute by 37 points.
3. The Newcomer versus the old timer
With the scalps of Matthew Pavlich and Taylor Walker under his belt, Jake Carlisle turned his attention to stopping one of the greatest forwards of the modern era in Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt. Some already had Carlisle marked down as an All-Australian contender and he fought an enthralling battle against Riewoldt. Typically, the Saints captain battled hard and was one of St Kilda's best players with three goals. But Carlisle's defensive positioning has been the hallmark of his rich vein of form so far this season and, at times, he read the ball in the air much better than his Saints opponent.
4. Alwyn VAN PERSIE!!!
You would be forgiven if you thought you were watching Manchester United star Robin Van Persie strutting his stuff at Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening. Alwyn Davey's second quarter goal combined instinct and luck, all in one short snippet of play. With the ball bobbling around at the front of the pack, Davey let fly with a volley out of the air 35m from goal. Under the highest degree of difficulty, he managed to strike it flush and watched on with excitement as the ball sailed through the middle of the goals.
5. Wrestlemania 2013
Wrestlemania 29 was staged in New Jersey earlier this month, but it was as if the WWE decided to stage its own wrestling card at Etihad Stadium on April 20. Essendon and St Kilda players broke in to their own scuffle at the conclusion of the second quarter. The all-in melee was sparked by Courtenay Dempsey, who let Ahmed Saad know all about his missed goal after the siren. The scuffle boiled over close to the advertising boards, as dozens of players charged in to support their teammates. Not surprisingly, Brendon Goddard was in the thick of the action. The aggression continued between Saad and Dempsey for much of the match, with Saad finishing the game with a torn jumper and dented pride.
