Blog log from R1 of 2026: Melbourne vs St Kilda

St Kilda pick their way through the Dees through Sinclair and Windhager, finding Wanganeen-Milera resting forward. NWM marks and quickly plays on to goal!
van Rooyen palms it down to Windsor at a forward contest and he duly bursts through to goal!
Phillipou spanks it forward out of the middle and it goes to ground inside 50. Higgins gathers, dumps it forward and Sharman cleverly taps it on to send Lever spinning. Ryan goals!
Hall gets away a grubber kick following a forward stoppage and it somehow sneaks its way through the big sticks!
Ryan gathers at half forward and tumbles it through for almost a goal, but it hits the post.
Kozzie Pickett blazes away at half forward but his shot is offline.
Ryan wins a dubious free kick and launches a lovely ball from the set shot, it just sneaks home, but on review it is called a poster!
Sharman gives it off to Hill at half forward who takes the shot on the run, but misses.
Jiath sends it inside 50 towards van Rooyen, and the big roo takes a strong pack mark. He slots the set shot with ease!
Latrelle Pickett takes advantage and gets run down by Wood who just can’t keep his hands on him, Pickett gets up and gives to van Rooyen who goals!
Gawn palms it directly into the path of Sharp who then takes a running shot on goal which hits post, he’s dumped as he kicks by Tauru, and wins a free kick. He hits the post again!
Owens misses a set shot from the flank.
Fritsch kicks a ball across the face of goal, it’s marked on the line by Langdon, but on review it’s called a behind instead.
Turner roams up the ground and gets a shot away for goal, he sneaks it home, but it’s clipped the post on review.
Mihocek misses everything from a set shot 45m out.
A horrible Mihocek turnover sees the Saints send the ball inside 50 to Higgins who marks and goals.
Langford sends a low kick inside 50, Mihocek is there to gather, spin around and kick a low floater through!
Langford kicks a lovely ball inside 50 and hits up the chest of van Rooyen. He kicks the set shot and has his third!
The Demons set off down the near wing, and get it into the hands of Latrelle Pickett at half forward. He gets a shepherd, takes one and two bounces before cutting inside to goal!
Sharman marks some 35m out but plays on quickly seeing Owens in the square by himself. Owens marks on a knee, and duly converts!
Sinclair carries the ball over the line for a rushed behind.
Salem chips a ball out in front of the run of van Rooyen who marks well and kicks true for his fourth goal of the game!
Higgins gets crunched by Turner at CHF, gives it off but the kick drops short and is touched over.
Wanganeen-Milera gets the ball off of Ryan and kicks a classy goal!
Chandler spears the ball inside 50 and takes a strong contested mark on the deck. Mihocek kicks true from 35m out in front for his second!
Carroll chips a nice kick towards Wilson who leads up to mark. He slots it from a tricky angle to change the lead again!
De Koning palms the ball out of the middle and chucks it out to Hall in the pocket, he channels his inner Eddie Betts as he dribbles through a goal!
Culley gathers on the flank, stops and props before kicking back inside to Tholstrup who takes a diving mark. Tholstrup’s kick is offline.
van Rooyen loads up from 65 after marking on the 50m arc. He kicks long, and strong, and true! (Q2 30:05)
Windsor blazes away from 50m out, but just misses. (Q2 30:47)
Culley marks 35m out from goal in the pocket, he kicks across the face for a point. (Q2 32:59)
Chandler kicks a set shot wide from 45m out. (Q3 0:46)
Ryan kicks a searching ball inside 50 and finds Owens who takes a double grabber well. He slots the goal to retake the lead to start the second half! (Q3 2:21)
Hill chips a short ball across to Hall who marks 40m out on a slight angle. He kicks a lovely drop punt that sails through! (Q3 4:19)
Lindsay hits a lace out pass inside 50 that finds the chest of Mihocek. He steadies himself and snaps through his third goal! (Q3 6:34)
Turner bullies Owens off the ball at half back and lets Fritsch run with the ball. Fritsch kicks long to Mihocek but it’s Culley who drifts in to mark. Culley kicks true! (Q3 8:31)
Owens tries to invent a kick but Petty sees it over the line. (Q3 10:34)
Hall misses a set shot from 50m out in front, looking for distance. (Q3 11:34)
Sinclair pinches a lazy Salem kick and streams inside 50, chipping it up for Boxshall to mark. He misses left. (Q3 12:46)
The Saints wax around the forward flank, ending up in Boxshall’s hands once again. And again he misses. (Q3 13:50)
van Rooyen palms down the ball to the roving Chandler at half forward who bursts away and goals! (Q3 15:36)
Tauru drops a mark inside defensive 50 and it’s roved by Steele who bursts away and kicks his first goal in Melbourne colours! (Q3 16:06)
Hall streams down the flank and spies Keeler in a good position. Lever tries to get back, but Keeler just holds firm and marks at the top of the square. Keeler goals! (Q3 20:32)
Another lax Salem kick is swallowed up by a Saints player, this time in Wood, he dashes deep into the pocket before kicking a scintillating goal! (Q3 22:35)
Latrelle has ball in hand as he streams down the flank and inside 50. He can go himself, but tries to give off to Kozzie. Kozzie makes a meal of it. (Q3 27:06)
The Saints shuffle the ball around half forward and it ends with Wood who loads up from 45m out, but misses. (Q3 28:02)
Langdon finds Pickett with a kick to the pocket, Pickett takes his time, but eventually snaps quick with no one on the line. (Q3 30:07)
Gawn has the mismatch down in the pocket and marks well. He steadies the Melbourne ship with a goal! (Q4 2:35)
St Kilda hit back quickly to get a ball to Wood. Wood kicks a loping set shot, but misses… (Q4 4:17)
Chandler tries to get a shot away but is tackled and it’s touched. (Q4 5:47)
Langdon gathers a loose ball at half forward and bursts through a Wilkie tackle, gets a shot away but misses. (Q4 8:31)
Gawn spies van Rooyen on a nice lead and sends the ball down that way. van Rooyen takes the sliding mark, kicks from 50m out and slots his sixth! (Q4 10:08)
It’s deja vu as Nasiah takes to the skies down in the forward pocket to take a strong mark. He slots his third goal and this game is alive! (Q4 14:15)
Ryan tries to dribble through a goal from the pocket, but just misses. (Q4 15:07)
A Higgins set shot drifts across the face of goal and is tapped over the line. (Q4 16:19)
Higgins wins a free kick down in the pocket, he takes it quickly and misses badly. (Q4 20:04)
Wilson tries to manufacture a spectacular snap in the pocket, he kicks high and wide, and Howes smashes it over. (Q4 20:45)
A massive pack mark on centre wing by Culley sees the Dees go inside 50 through Langdon, he kicks to the hotspot and it’s Sharp who somehow beats Keeler for the ball. He goals! (Q4 22:18)
The ball pings around in the St Kilda fwd pocket as no one wants to take possession. Eventually it’s shoveled up to Wanganeen-Milera who snaps, but misses… (Q4 23:06)
St Kilda work it through the middle of the ground, Flanders to Garcia to Hall who arches the back and bombs it through from 50! 7 point game! (Q4 23:06)
The Demons are on the attack as they ping the ball inside 50, Sharp beats out too to min a contest which allows Fritsch to swoop and goal! (Q4 27:48)