After leading narrowly at the first change, West Coast battled to a two goal lead at the half-time interval with five from Wilson, before grabbing what looked like a match-winning lead with the last two goals of the third term and first of the last.
The Saints then staged a brilliant fightback, kicking the next four goals to close to within just five points, before some Mark Merenda magic, and a couple more goals after that, won the day for West Coast 19.11.(125) to 16.11.(107).
Wilson led the way for the visitors, kicking his seven goals, although it could have been double figures as he also scored five behinds from his 15 marks, while skipper Ben Cousins (30 touches), Chad Morrison and Peter Matera (both 25) dominated the midfield.
“The Saints came back hard, but we had a goal where we wanted to win,” Peter Matera said. “It got pretty hot there, but we steadied and got the win.”
“After a slow start to the pre-season where I had some trouble with my hamstrings, I’m slowly getting back to pretty good form and hoping my legs can keep me fresh.”
Robert Harvey and Brett Moyle tried hard all day with 23 possessions each, Harvey also kicking three goals in the last quarter, while former Docker Craig Callaghan put through four goals for the afternoon.
The West Coast Eagles began brightly, kicking the first two goals, before St Kilda settled with three in succession, and from there the two teams traded goals, the visitors eventually claiming the lead by five points.
The West Coast lead was largely courtesy of three goals from Wilson and the play of Peter Matera’s precise delivery into the forward line, but their lead could have been bigger if Matera’s brother Phil had not missed after the siren.
After a behind to Wilson to start the second quarter, Aussie Jones put the Saints back on level terms with his third goal a few minutes in, before Saints coach Malcolm Blight was forced to move Barry Hall off Wilson when the West Coast player kicked his fourth.
Merenda and Wilson twice took the West Coast Eagles out to a two-goal lead, only for Steve Lawrence and Callaghan (his third) to drag the margin back, before Andrew Williams gave West Coast a 12-point lead at the half with a goal after the siren.
The third quarter was a tale of wasteful kicking for goal by the Saints, who kicked three goals and four behinds, as West Coast extended its margin to 22 points, 15.8.98 to 11.10.76.
Skipper Harvey was the chief culprit, missing twice with relatively easy snaps from 30m out, while former captain Nathan Burke was also astray in similar circumstances.
For West Coast, Wilson slotted his sixth and Phil Matera kicked his third and fourth goals, the third courtesy of yet another pinpoint pass from brother Peter, while there was some dispute about the last goal after he received a soft free kick in the goal square.
Michael Gardiner also continued to dominate in the middle, forcing Peter Everitt to the bench for a second time in as many quarters, and when Wilson put through his seventh early in the final term, the margin was stretched to 29 points.
But the Saints weren’t out of it, Andrew Thompson and Callaghan (his fourth) kick-starting a comeback that was fully flowing when Harvey atoned for his earlier misses with two goals in three minutes to close the gap to five points.
Merenda roved brilliantly just into time-on, and kicked a sensational goal from the boundary line to give West Coast some breathing space, before Williams and Merenda made the game safe for the visitors, each notching their third goals of the afternoon.
Harvey slotted a long goal for his third of the last quarter right on the final siren, but it wasn’t enough for the Saints for the second week in a row, West Coast winning 19.11.125 to 16.11.107.
Scoreboard:
WEST COAST 6.2 10.5 15. 8 19.11 (125)
ST KILDA 5.3 8.5 11.10 16.11 (107)
Goals:
West Coast: T Wilson 7 Phil Matera 4 M Merenda 3 A Williams 3 D Banfield T Carroll.
St Kilda: C Callaghan 4 A Jones 3 R Harvey 3 A Hamill 2 N Burke A Thompson S Lawrence M Capuano.
Best:
West Coast: T Wilson Peter Matera Phil Matera A McIntosh Ben Cousins D Banfield M Gardiner.
St Kilda: R Harvey A Jones C Callaghan B Moyle B Voss.
Injuries: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: S McLaren, R Fox, S McInerney.
Official crowd: 19,496 at Colonial Stadium.
