St Kilda is back on the winners list for the first time in four games with an emphatic 34-point victory over the GIANTS on Tuesday night at Kinetic Stadium in Frankston.
The damage was done by the Saints in the first half, before running out 7.7 (49) to 2.3 (15) winners in the opening game of the AFLW's Pride Round.
Jesse Wardlaw proved too strong up forward for the Saints with three goals, while gun midfielder Jaimee Lambert was superb around the ground with 27 disposals and 11 tackles, though she could face scrutiny for a dangerous tackle on Alyce Parker early in the last term.
Parker led the way for the GIANTS with 30 touches and 10 clearances, with veteran Alicia Eva kicking the side's only two goals of the game.
The win lifts Nick Dal Santo's team up to seventh on the ladder and keeps them in the hunt for finals, while the GIANTS are languishing third from bottom.
The visitors largely maintained possession in their forward half for the first five minutes of the game, with the first point to their local debutant Jemma Ramsdale, who was called up late. Her contingent of family and friends would have been pleased with her early performance with three intercept possessions to quarter-time.
However, it was 50-game Saint Darcy Guttridge who drew first blood, followed by teammate Wardlaw taking a huge mark overhead and converting.
Tyanna Smith then had the home crowd up and about with an incredible passage of play. After marking, she went for a run, taking a bounce and sending the ball over the top to teammate Maddie Boyd. Boyd sent it back her way and she ran into the forward 50, straightening up to score to lead by 19 points at the first break.
It was reminiscent of what have become characteristic slow starts for the GIANTS. They had their chances early in the second term but couldn't take them, including a snap from Rising Star winner Zarlie Goldsworthy missing to the right. It meant they went into half-time without a goal to their name.
Wardlaw converted on a slight angle after a contested mark 35m out, before Ash Richards took a great contested grab juggling it to the ground and lined up to send it straight through the middle.
Meanwhile, a forward 50 spillage had teammate J'Noemi Anderson spearing it through off the ground on her right in the goalsquare, on the way to a 37-point half-time lead for the Saints.
The third quarter was a fast-paced, contested tussle. The GIANTS lifted early with a bit of déjà vu, winning the centre clearance twice and a couple of Eva snaps bringing the GIANTS their first two goals.
Despite the pressure, the Saints were able to stem the flow for the rest of the quarter, taking strong intercept marks and even sending Wardlaw down back for the last few minutes.
In the final quarter, the Saints defended desperately, kicking the ball out of bounds on the full three times in an attempt to get it out of their defensive 50. But again, the GIANTS couldn't capitalise with stoppage after stoppage holding up play.
About halfway through the quarter, Wardlaw took a strong mark 25m out from goal and converted for her third of the day to put a full stop on the evening.
The loss was soured further for the GIANTS when Annise Bradfield was carried off in visible pain at the end of the match.
The win bolsters the Saints' hopes of a maiden finals berth, while the GIANTS are still seeking their first win since their round one demolition of the Western Bulldogs.
ST KILDA 3.2 6.3 6.5 7.7 (49)
GIANTS 0.1 0.2 2.2 2.3 (15)
GOALS
St Kilda: Wardlaw 3, Guttridge, Smith, Richards, Anderson
GIANTS: Eva 2
BEST
St Kilda: Lambert, Smith, Wardlaw, Simpson, Fiedler
GIANTS: Parker, Beeson, Goldsworthy, Randall
INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
GIANTS: Bradfield (leg)
LATE CHANGES
St Kilda: Nil
GIANTS: Tarni Evans (leg) replaced in selected side by Jemma Ramsdale (debut)
Reports: Nil
Crowd: TBC at Kinetic Stadium
