Tom Lonergan, who started on St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt, said the defenders just played their roles and achieved to their best.
"I was reasonably happy," he said. "Nick Riewoldt is one of the best players in the competition. We just tried to limit his impact."
While Lonergan had only two kicks and two handballs, Riewoldt finished with only seven disposals himself.
Harry Taylor started on Justin Koschitzke, while Matthew Scarlett began on former teammate Ryan Gamble.
Koschitzke took four strong marks and kicked two goals from marks but he was rarely sighted otherwise. Riewoldt took his first mark and gained his first kick halfway through the second quarter.
Gamble was busier than the other two, bustling about the forward line in an attempt to lift his team. He had 16 disposals and took six marks, including a screamer over Darren Milburn in the third quarter.
But mostly it was left to the Saints midfielders to try to cobble together a winning score.
Taylor was the pick of the three tall Geelong defenders, winning 16 disposals and taking eight marks, including a few trademark sweepers across the half-back line.
Lonergan played the negating role, while Scarlett drifted forward when possible.
In the third quarter Scarlett was central to one passage of play that summed up the match.
St Kilda tried to bring the ball out of defence with a pass to Gamble, who was just inside the point where the 50m arc meets the boundary line.
Scarlett spirited himself in front of Gamble to take an intercepting mark. It was a fine piece of anticipation that deserved reward.
Scarlett took his shot from the boundary and it hit the post. In a match that lacked spark, it was an apt result.
