AFL outcomes 2025, Melbourne Demons vs St Kilda Saints, Spherical 12

St Kilda has upset a wasteful Melbourne in Alice Springs to maintain its season alive and halt the Demons’ promising turnaround.

The Saints exploded out of the gates with six first-quarter objectives, whereas the Demons’ inaccuracy in entrance of purpose badly damage the house aspect at any time when it pressed within the 28-point end result, 14.7 (91) 7.21 (63).

Dan Butler led the best way up ahead with 4 objectives, whereas Callum Wilkie (31 disposals, 15 marks, 11 intercepts) was a brick wall in defence and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (29 touches, six rating involvements, 795 metres gained) was influential together with his common deadly kicking.

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Wanganeen-Milera’s second-half efficiency (22 of his 29 touches) was notably spectacular after he left the sport to conduct a Head Damage Evaluation within the second quarter following a success from Aidan Johnson that’s set to come back underneath scrutiny from the Match Assessment Officer.

It noticed St Kilda leap Melbourne, who’d gained 5 of its previous six matches going into Sunday’s sport, on the ladder to climb into eleventh place, with each golf equipment sitting 5-7 on the season.

The one draw back was Mattaes Phillipou leaving the sport within the opening minutes with a calf concern to proceed the 20-year previous’s irritating damage in in 2025.

The three-2-1 (by way of Jack Jovanovski) …

3. ‘HOT’ SAINTS PULL OFF UPSET AFTER BLOW TO YOUNG GUN

The Dan Butler-led Saints held on to upset an inaccurate Melbourne in Alice Springs and snap a three-game dropping streak.

But it surely got here at an damage value as rising centre-forward gem Mattaes Phillipou succumbed to damage simply minutes into the competition.

Ross Lyon’s decided outfit staggeringly misplaced the inside-50 depend by 17 however was in a position to thwart sufficient of the Dees’ ahead forays to supply a profitable consequence.

The Saints did their early work at stoppage, which led to extra forward-half alternatives.

“They’re hot at the present time, St Kilda,” stated 1988 Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy on Fox Footy.

“After conceding the first goal, they have just been on fire here. And they are really impressing everybody around the nation who’s watching this game. They’re sharp, they’re hot, they’re pressurising.”

4-time Hawthorn premiership star Jordan Lewis stated: “They are just working harder than Melbourne at the moment to give themselves chances forward of the ball.”

The Saints completed the primary time period with three extra clearances and two extra inside-50s than the Demons.

Isaac Keeler was a energetic presence for the Saints, booting two objectives within the opening quarter alone.

The Saints had been profitable the groundball depend 29-18 within the second quarter.

“They are winning the contest on all levels at the moment, the Saints,” Healy stated.

Butler, taking part in in his first senior sport for the reason that finish of final 12 months, slotted 4 objectives in a stellar return to the AFL scene — which was notably welcome as family goalsneak Jack Higgins was restricted to at least one main.

However Ross Lyon’s aspect suffered a setback as considered one of their promising up-and-comers was pressured out of the sport.

Mattaes Phillipou can’t catch a break this 12 months; substituted out of the sport with an obvious calf grievance simply minutes into the competition.

The incident, which was non-contact and occurred far-off from the ball, continues his unlucky damage run.

Sunday was simply Phillipou’s fourth AFL look of the season after a sluggish begin to his marketing campaign resulting from a stress fracture in his leg.

“It’s a little innocuous in terms of the injury, but it looked (like) lower leg,” reported former Hawthorn sharpshooter Ben Dixon from the boundary line.

“You can just see him struggling there, he did come off and was assessed by the doctors, but he didn’t obviously make it back onto the ground, so they’ve activated their sub nice and early.”

2. STAR ‘CLEARLY’ BEATEN AS WAYWARD DEES SLUMP

St Kilda tagger Marcus Windhager executed his function to perfection as Melbourne livewire Kysaiah Pickett was restricted on Sunday afternoon.

And the shortcoming of Simon Goodwin’s Demons to capitalise on their forward-half probabilities meant their scorching run of type was halted. In case you had been questioning, Melbourne gained by some extent on anticipated rating.

Pickett managed simply seven disposals and three rating involvements in a scoreless first half and completed his day with 12 disposals, three rating involvements and 0 objectives.

“It makes it so hard … to get that all over the ground tires you. He keeps bodying him, wherever the ball goes,” former Carlton and Adelaide champion Eddie Betts famous at half-time on Fox Footy.

“He’s got to learn to deal with this because this is what opposition teams are going to do now; they’re going to scout this.

“He gets angry and ends up hitting Windhager and giving away a free kick. His teammates need to help him out … he’s clearly got the better of Kozzy at the moment.”

Legendary Geelong ahead Tom Hawkins additionally highlighted Windhager’s capacity to quell Pickett’s affect.

“That (attention) really fatigues you as a player, when you’re getting bumper-barred trying to get back to goal.

“The way (Pickett) plays in bursts and is so powerful, we’ve been unable to see that.

“Not just Windhager, all St Kilda players are getting physical and in his way. Not over the top, but just annoying him, which makes it really hard.”

Western Bulldogs icon Brad Johnson urged: “I’d change it up and throw him deep … see if you can get some bursts from Kozzy — it becomes more of a one-on-one contest.”

The Demons fought within the second half after earlier trailing by a game-high 31 factors, however inaccuracy in entrance of the sticks proved pricey.

Melbourne managed a horrific 1.12 within the second half, ending 7.21 (63) within the 28-point loss regardless of registering a whopping 17 extra inside-50s than St Kilda.

1. ‘IN SOME TROUBLE’: DEE’S HIT ON STAR SAINT TO DRAW MRO’S IRE

Melbourne ahead Aidan Johnson will sweat Match Assessment scrutiny for his hit to the pinnacle of St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

Within the second quarter, the first-year Demon collected Wanganeen-Milera in a collision that left the Saints rebounder in want of medical consideration.

“Johnson got him,” Fox Footy caller Dwayne Russell stated as replay imaginative and prescient performed.

4-time flag-winner Jordan Lewis added: “He’s in some trouble, Johnson … that’s the type of act, I think, when a player is going for the ball, that we certainly don’t want to see (nor) encourage.”

Dixon stated from boundary degree: “Wanganeen-Milera came from the ground after that big hit. The doctors have been assessing the vision; now they’ve taken him down for an HIA assessment in the rooms.”

Nonetheless, after his evaluation, Wanganeen-Milera was cleared to return; subsequently serving to Johnson’s probabilities with Michael Christian, who’ll launch any MRO findings on Monday evening.

A grading of careless conduct, excessive contact and medium influence would nonetheless lead to a one-match suspension, whereas a ‘high impact’ grading can be a chance.

AFL Tonight’s David Zita famous the truth that Wanganeen-Milera passing his head damage analysis doubtless meant he wouldn’t be slated for a giant ban.

“(Wanganeen-Milera returning) probably saves him from a three-match ban, it’s just a matter of whether the MRO assesses this as reportable,” he advised Fox Footy’s half-time protection.

“If it is reportable, it’s likely — given the potential to cause injury — medium impact or even high impact. Medium impact would be one match, high impact would be two.

“Was he contesting the ball, and was he doing so reasonably? And was there significant contact to the head?

“Obviously, the amount of time Wanganeen-Milera spent off the ground suggests there was contact to the head and it was significant enough to warrant a concussion test.

“I think it’s likely he sees some time on the sidelines, but not as much as he potentially would’ve had there been a concussion involved.”

There was little question within the thoughts of Brad Johnson that the act was reportable.

“He’s gone; simple as that. Probably one or two (weeks), (but) it looks like Wanganeen-Milera will come back into the ground. We’re outcome-based and the outcome is positive for the Saints. But the reality is he is gone.”

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