A POWERFUL mid-match surge has allowed St Kilda to grab a 43-point victory over Fremantle in Perth and keep their hold on eighth spot.
The Saints were trailing by 16 points in the shadows of half time but slammed on nine of the next 10 goals to take control of the match.
St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt led from the front with five goals while small forwards Stephen Milne [three] and Adam Schneider [four] were also dangerous in the sunny conditions at Subiaco Oval.
The 17.10 (112) to 9.15 (69) victory leaves the Saints on 11 wins and a game clear of ninth-placed Brisbane Lions with two games to go.
The Saints face Adelaide and Essendon in their final two games of the season at Telstra Dome while the Lions play Carlton and Sydney.
Schneider set the Saints on track at the start of the match with the opening goal but Fremantle had the better of the rest of the first quarter with Adam Campbell the surprise packet up forward with a couple of goals in just his eighth game of AFL football.
The home side went to the first change four points ahead and stretched the margin to 16 points with goals to Campbell and Matthew Pavlich before the Saints found something.
A goal to Raphael Clarke broke their second term duck but Pavlich’s reply again made the Fremantle lead 16 points just before half time.
However, late goals to Milne and Robert Harvey gave the Saints heart and reduced the half-time margin to just four points, and gave the visitors confidence.
They then turned the match on its head in a rampaging third quarter.
Riewoldt, Milne and Schneider were on fire as St Kilda piled on seven goals to one for the quarter.
By three quarter time the Saints had opened up a 28-point lead with Schneider and Milne having three goals each and Riewoldt four.
When Schneider booted his fourth goal in the opening minute of the final term the contest was all but over.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.MATCH DETAILS
St Kilda 3.5 6.6 13.9 17.10 (112)
Fremantle 4.3 7.4 8.11 9.15 (69)
GOALS
St Kilda: Riewoldt 5, Schneider 4, Milne 3, Eddy, Koschitzke, Harvey, Clarke, Gilbert
Fremantle: Campbell 3, Pavlich 3, McPharlin, Duffield, Mundy
BEST
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Fisher, Hayes, Montagna, Goddard, Schneider, King
Fremantle: Palmer, Grover, Michael Johnson, Ibbotson, Farmer, Crowley
INJURIES
St Kilda: Milne (cheekbone)
Fremantle: Browne (corked thigh)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Schmitt, Hendrie, McInerney
Official crowd: 34,014 at Subiaco Oval
