Hawks too strong despite Saints star causing nightmares
Mabior Chol celebrated his 100-game milestone as one of the Hawks' 10 goal-kickers in the 14.10 (94) to 10.14 (74) triumph at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
It lifted Sam Mitchell's men into fourth spot with an 11-5 record that keeps them just two premiership points behind the second-placed Brisbane Lions.
Jack Gunston (three goals), Nick Watson and Chol (two each) all hit the scoreboard as Hawthorn's superior efficiency in attack ultimately told the tale.
Lloyd Meek was outstanding in the ruck and ex-St Kilda backman Josh Battle shone in defence despite jeers from his former fans throughout the match.
Jai Newcombe (22 disposals, seven clearances) and Connor Nash (19, eight) did plenty of the grunt work in the middle.
But the Hawks were on the wrong end of a 53-42 inside-50 count, leaving coach Mitchell unsure whether his glass was half-empty or half-full.
"You could look at it form a positive lens and say we kicked a reasonable score from the amount of inside-50s that we had," he said.
"The other way to look at it is, 'Why are we only going inside-50 42 times?'
"It was one of those games where I'm not sure too many people are rushing home to watch the replay."
Mitchell lauded his side's maturity as they regained the ascendancy every time St Kilda looked as though they might fight back into the contest.
The Hawks led 6.6 to 3.6 at the main break and rode some pressure early in the third quarter before putting a break on their opponents and seeing out a relatively comfortable win.
It came despite the best efforts of St Kilda playmaker Wanganeen-Milera and emerging star Max Hall.
Hall tallied 27 touches, five clearances and three goals, while out-of-contract gun Wanganeen-Milera had a career-best 43 disposals and 1004 metres gained as clubs fight for his signature behind the scenes.
"I'm going to have nightmares about him," Mitchell said.
"We scouted him, we tried so many things, but we just couldn't stop him. He was just too good.
"Just wherever he is, even when he was on the bench I was worried about him by the end."
Tensions rise after this tackle from Josh Battle on former teammate Mason Wood.#AFLSaintsHawks pic.twitter.com/UyLPosVgSo
— AFL (@AFL) July 5, 2025
St Kilda (5-11) fell to a fourth consecutive defeat after managing just three goals from 25 forward entries in the first half.
They added a wasteful 4.4 from 11 shots in the final term.
"The ability to connect was really disappointing," Saints coach Ross Lyon said.
"We turned it around a bit in the second half but we were inefficient and they just scored a bit easily, which has been a bit of a trend that we're trying to tighten up.
"So that was disappointing."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Huw Jones believes Lions' centre options are interchangeable as first Test looms
Huw Jones insists the British and Irish Lions' centres are fully interchangeable despite the presence of established national combinations as the race for Test selection reaches a critical point. While a host of Andy Farrell's men played their way out of contention for the series against Australia in an unimpressive 21-10 victory over the New South Wales Waratahs, Jones seized his chance with both hands. Advertisement The 31-year-old ran in two tries in Sydney – the first the product of his understanding with Scotland midfield partner Sione Tuipulotu – in the most eye-catching performance from a 12 or 13 so far on tour. Jones shone against the New South Wales Waratahs (Robbie Stephenson/PA) If the Lions are to blend their best performing centres against the Wallabies in the first Test on July 19, then Bundee Aki and Jones will start. The conundrum facing Farrell with two matches to go before the Brisbane opener is whether to reward form or opt for the familiarity provided by the ready-made units of Tuipulotu and Jones or Ireland's Aki and Garry Ringrose. Jones, however, believes after being in camp for three weeks, the quartet have reached a point where they are interchangeable. Advertisement 'As a centre group we have been working really hard to get the connections with all of us,' the Glasgow Warriors back said. 'For the first try, Sione knows where I'm going to be. We have played loads together and it's all about timing. 'It worked against the Waratahs, but there's no saying it wouldn't have worked with any other player. 'We have worked as a unit in building those sorts of connections, whatever combination plays in the next couple of games, so hopefully we will see more results like that. 'We bounce loads of ideas off each other in terms of rugby stuff, but socially as well it has been great to get to know the others. They are great guys and that makes it easier. Advertisement 'If you enjoy each other's company then you're willing to spend the time with each other on and off the field. That goes for the whole squad. 'It has been a really enjoyable couple of weeks, but once we get on the field we are giving each other all the secrets and trying to help each other out as much as we can.' Jones has scored three tries in as many appearances for the Lions and having joined the tour with a niggling Achilles problem, he is now flying. 'After the Six Nations I was struggling with injury. I got it scanned late on in the season and we managed to then have a bit of an intervention,' he said. Advertisement 'It definitely feels better now, which is good. I didn't play much since the Six Nations, just two games. 'So over this last week it has been good over to get two 80 minutes in a row and a bit off the bench against the Western Force. I feel like I have shaken off the dust.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Respects paid to first Lions captain Robert Seddon
British and Irish Lions chair Ieuan Evans and chief executive Ben Calveley attended a wreath laying ceremony for Robert Seddon, the first Lions captain, who drowned in the Hunter River during the first Lions tour to Australia in 1888. Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh (left) British and Irish Lions chair Ieuan Evans (centre) and chief executive Ben Calveley (right) [Getty Images] [Getty Images]
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Renshaw in the runs but Australia A beaten in Darwin
Matt Renshaw has continued his return to runs by producing a swashbuckling century in Australia A's 51-run loss to Sri Lanka A. Renshaw hit 106 from 75 balls for the hosts in Darwin on Sunday as Australia A lost 8-65 to be all out for 243 in reply to the visitors' 7-294. The Queenslander's century included nine boundaries and two sixes, coming after he also hit 80 in an emphatic win over Sri Lanka A on Friday. Renshaw drove powerfully against the spinners, hitting Dushan Hemantha inside-out over cover for a six and plundering several boundaries through the region. He brought up his century off 70 balls when he worked Mohamed Shiraz to the the fine-leg boundary, before holing out in the deep off Hematha shortly after. After initially being considered one of the country's most conservative batters, Renshaw has risen to power in the white-ball game in recent years. South Australia's Liam Scott also contributed, making 53 before the Australia A tail fell apart and medium-pacer Pramod Madushan finished with 4-37. Earlier, Australia A's bowlers struggled to make inroads with Jack Nisbett finishing with 2-58 from his 10 overs and Sam Elliott 2-30 off three overs.. Renshaw's spinners also came in handy as he took 1-31 from eight overs. Sri Lanka's innings was built around Nuwanidu Fernando's stylish 82 from 90 balls, laced with two sixes and five fours. And opener Lasith Croospulle also struck a half-century, hitting two sixes in his 63 from 70 deliveries.
