Saints march on with easy win over Crows

St Kilda thrashed Adelaide by 57 points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday night to brush
aside another challenger and post their 16th consecutive win.
What began as an even contest developed into a mismatch, with the Saints controlling
the game after quarter-time as the Crows disintegrated, the home side winning 15.15
(105) to 7.6 (48).
Forwards Stephen Milne and Nick Riewoldt kicked four goals each and out-scored
Adelaide between them, combining for five goals in the second term which broke the
game apart.
Aside from the dangerous forwards, St Kilda's across-the-field pressure and zoning
brought the Crows to a standstill as the visitors found St Kilda's wall virtually
impenetrable.
That led to an inability for Adelaide to get the ball into attack, the Crows
venturing into their forward 50 just four times in the second quarter.
The gulf between the teams continued in the third term, when the Crows' skills
coming out of defence were comically bad and the Saints kicked the only three goals
of the quarter.
Adelaide entered the game in fourth spot on a seven-game winning streak, which
included last weekend's 117-point belting of Fremantle.
But St Kilda's midfield dominated after quarter-time, as Brendon Goddard, Farren Ray
and Nick Dal Santo continually won possession and sent their ball forward.
Their defence again stood firm, as Zac Dawson kept young gun Kurt Tipett to two
goals, Steven Baker kept Chris Knights to one - in the opening seconds of the game -
and Sam Fisher again played well.
Adelaide's Brett Burton had little impact in the forward line in his first game
since last year's knee reconstruction.
Scott Thompson was busy early for the Crows, but faded like most of his teammates,
and first-gamer Brodie Martin did some good things, including a dummy and goal in
the first quarter.
St Kilda's winning streak is now among the 10 highest in the competition's 113-year
history.
They face another big test in the third-placed Western Bulldogs on Saturday, which
should go a long way towards determining whether they go through the season
unbeaten.
None of the Saints' remaining five opponents after the Bulldogs appear any where
near as credentialled, although they play reigning premier Hawthorn in round 19.
The Crows also face a big test in round 17, against cross-town rival Port Adelaide.