The Saints ran out 13.12 (90) to 10.11 (71) winners in front of a strong crowd of 45,594 people.
After St Kilda slammed on 6.5 to 2.1 in the first quarter, there was a sense of déjà vu that Sunday’s clash could be round 22, 2008 revisited, when the Saints annihilated the Bombers by 108 points to claim fourth spot on the ladder.
But Essendon bounced back from its sluggish start to outscore St Kilda for the remaining three quarters. However, it only edged the Saints in each of these terms, and their efforts were not enough to claw back from the first quarter 28-point deficit.
Capping off a mixed day from the Dons, the dynamic Alwyn Davey also had his number taken in the second term after colliding with St Kilda’s early Brownlow Medal contender Nick Dal Santo.
For the Saints, vice-captain Lenny Hayes was outstanding with a team-high 33 disposals, while Leigh Montagna (28 possessions) and Brendon Goddard (27) continued their consistent seasons.
Skipper Nick Riewoldt was telling in the final term, kicking two of his three goals in the last stanza, while fellow twin-tower Justin Koschitzke landed four majors. Down back, ex-Hawk Zac Dawson continued his fine form.
Essendon ball-magnet Jobe Watson had a match-high 39 disposals, while captain Matthew Lloyd and emerging forward Jay Neagle booted three goals each.
Andrew Lovett, Courtenay Dempsey and Tayte Pears were also among Essendon's best.
The Bombers started in fine style, when Neagle snapped a beauty from just inside 50.
But the Saints soon dominated the term, with six unanswered goals – their best first-quarter score for the season. When Koschitzke landed his second early in time-on, St Kilda was up by 34 points.
The Saints provided some outstanding first term highlights. A thumping Dawson spoil in a marking contest with Neagle was classic defence; while Stephen Milne's ability to mark overhead, on the burst and under pressure from Bachar Houli, was equally impressive.
Neagle bobbed up again late in the term with Essendon's second major – a checkside beauty from the boundary line at the Coventry End - on the back of a fine mark on the lead in front of Saint Jason Blake.
Neagle remained Essendon's only goalkicker when he opened the second quarter with his third. It was the start of a much better term from the Dons, as they kept the Saints to two goals and outscored them 3.0 to 2.3.
Despite Essendon's effort to stem the flow, the half-time margin was only reduced by three points, with the Dons trailing by 25 points.
The Dons continued their impressive second term form after the long break, outscoring the Saints by three points in the third term.
A dashing run-and-carry goal from Dempsey, who had three bounces before snapping truly, was the highlight.
But as the arm-wrestle continued, so too was it difficult for Essendon to cut the margin back. As a result, the Dons still trailed by 23 points entering the final stanza.
Although the Dons were right in the final term, just four goals were added for the quarter, meaning it was never going to be enough for Essendon to inflict St Kilda's first loss of the season.
St Kilda 6.5 8.8 11.11 13.12 (90)
Essendon 2.1 5.1 8.6 10.11 (71)
GOALS
St Kilda: Koschitzke 4, Riewoldt 3, Ball, Geary, Gram, Hayes, McQualter, Milne
Essendon: Lloyd 3, Neagle 3, Dempsey, Myers, H.Slattery, Winderlich
BEST
St Kilda: Hayes, Montagna, Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Goddard, Dal Santo, Dawson, S.Fisher
Essendon: Watson, Lovett, Lloyd, Neagle, Pears, Dempsey, Dyson, Hocking
Reports: Davey (Essendon) reported in second quarter for rough conduct on Dal Santo (St Kilda) by umpire McBurney
Umpires: McBurney, Chamberlain, Pannell
Official crowd: 45,594 at Docklands
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
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