From one point down at quarter-time the Tigers mowed their way to a 25-point half-time lead and things only got worse from there for the Saints. St Kilda had embarrassed themselves 12 days earlier against Essendon but this was almost as bad,with the Tigers routinely cruising out of the middle and scoring seemingly at will.
The Saints had opted against a hard tag for Dustin Martin,with Brad Crouch notionally the superstar’s direct opponent. Martin barely drifted forward early in the game and was relatively subdued in the first term but took off from there.
Yet this was far from a one-man show. Shane Edwards was a delight to watch while Jack Graham continued his ascension. It was a good night to be a Richmond forward given the abundant supply and Jack Riewoldt took advantage,presenting repeatedly to finish with five goals in the game dedicated to his late cousin Maddie.
St Kilda looked like they had turbocharged their season with 40 blistering minutesfive days earlier against West Coast,but that miraculous run - as breathtaking as it was - is the aberration from what they’ve dished up in the early part of the campaign.
Brett Ratten was livid at three-quarter time,charging straight to his players before they headed to their line coaches. He shuffled the deck-chairs in the second half,even sending Jack Bytel to full-forward,but it was to little avail. Things are again looking grim at Moorabbin,and Port Adelaide in Adelaide is the Saints’ next assignment.