ST KILDA have survived a late burst from Hawthorn star LanceFranklin to win their match by 17 points at Telstra Dome.
The 14.11 (95) to 11.12 (78) win was the Saints' fourth infive matches and they are now well in finals contention while the Hawks couldfall from second spot.
St Kilda now have eight wins and are equal on points with Adelaide and Essendonafter their losses earlier on Saturday.
Luke Ball kicked three goals and had 31 possessions for theSaints in a best on ground effort, while Nick Riewoldt also put through threemajors.
Franklinmade up for his earlier inaccuracy with the last three goals of the game,giving him 5.5 for the night.
The Saints' surge followed a four-game losing streak,sparked by their round-eight loss to the Hawks at the MCG.
St Kilda kicked the opening two goals of the last term for amatch-winning 34-point lead.
Midfielders Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna were superb,while Leigh Fisher's tag on Sam Mitchell and Jason Blake's run-with role onShane Crawford were also important.
Luke Hodge was best for the Hawks with 29 disposals.
The Saints led by 14 points at half-time but the Hawks drewto within eight points with two consecutive goals early in the third term.
Just when Hawthorn threatened, St Kilda had a succession ofcentre clearances and goals to Dal Santo and Riewoldt put them back in control.
The Hawks replied, but Ball's third goal beforethree-quarter time meant St Kilda led by 21 points at the last change.
There were ominous signs tonight that there would be arepeat of the round-eight shocker when only one goal was scored in the first 17minutes of the match in perfect conditions under the Telstra Dome roof.
But the Saints started to find ways into attack and kickedtwo of the last three goals for the quarter to lead by five points.
The game eventually opened up, especially in the second half.
The Hawks could have hit the front midway through the secondterm when Stephen Gilham marked inside 50m.
But Franklingave away a free off the ball and St Kilda quickly moved the ball up the otherend.
Riewoldt scored in what was effectively a two-goal play,putting the Saints 11 points ahead.
At least three goals in the second quarter came fromshocking turnovers as backmen either end of the ground had their kicksintercepted.
Matt Little made his senior debut tonight as a latereplacement for one-gamer Mitch Thorp.
Little, a cousin of James Hird's, nearly had a dream startto his AFL career in the first minute of the game.
Hawthorn won the ball at the first bounce and Little markedthe long kick out of the middle, but his shot for goal was a behind.
The only bad news for St Kilda came when utility Shane Birssleft the field in distress during the last term with his hands on his eyes. Birsssuffered retina damage to his right eye in a freak accident early in the 2003season while playing for the Western Bulldogs and appeared to suffer a similarinjury.
ST KILDA 3.2 8.4 12.7 14.11 (95)
HAWTHORN 2.3 5.8 8.10 11.12 (78)
GOALS - St Kilda:L Ball 3, N Riewoldt 3, S Milne 2, L Hayes, FGehrig, L Montagna, J Koschitzke, N Dal Santo, A Fiora. Hawthorn: L Franklin 5, B Dixon 2, B Sewell, S Taylor,B McGlynn, X Ellis.
BEST - St Kilda: LBall, N Riewoldt, L Montagna, N Dal Santo, L Hayes, J Blake. Hawthorn: L Hodge, L Franklin, B Sewell, C Young, J Smith.
Umpires: HKennedy, D Sully, M Head.
Official crowd:37,847.
INJURIES - St Kilda:S Birss (eye). Hawthorn: M Thorp (soreness) replaced in selected side by M Little,X Ellis (hip).
Reports: Nil.
