St Kilda is facing a trip interstate after giving up a certain home final in its loss to the Western Bulldogs
Nick Dal Santo is seen during round 12, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
ST KILDA may have had finals locked away heading in to Sunday’s match against the Western Bulldogs, but coach Nick Dal Santo is “disappointed” in his team’s efforts, with the Saints giving up a guaranteed home final in the 45-point loss.
The Saints entered the round in sixth spot, with a win against the Dogs granting them a home final next week. But the loss saw them at risk of slipping down to seventh on the ladder by round’s end, putting them at risk of an interstate trip.
SAINTS V BULLDOGS Full match details and stats
The Saints could still host Fremantle if the Dockers win their Sunday evening match against Adelaide by fewer than 20 points, while a bigger win by the Dockers or an outright win by the Crows would see the Saints hit the road for their elimination final.
“I thought we were disappointing today,” Dal Santo said post-match.
“I thought even from the very first centre square bounce, we give away a free kick. Two or three possessions later [the Bulldogs] are having a shot at goal. So, I thought our start was sloppy.
“Full credit to the Bulldogs, but we’re probably a little bit disappointed with our 90-minutes of work today.
“We just got beaten, particularly around the contest and we probably got what we deserved in the end.”
The Saints were also without their fair share of key players due to a bulging injury list, with Paige Trudgeon and Nic Barr late outs too.
They also had yet another in-game casualty, with Jaimee Lambert pulled out prior to the fourth quarter with a sore calf, but Dal Santo has confidence she’ll pull up for next week.
“I think she’s okay, I got a tap on the shoulder from the medical staff at three-quarter time saying that she was fatigued, and I said, “well that’s enough then,” he said.
“That was all I needed to hear to say she was done for the day. We’ll wait for more clarity on that, but I expect her to play next week.”
In contrast, the Bulldogs had one minor potential injury to Heidi Woodley who went off choking in the third quarter, causing brief bench confusion as the Dogs were one player down for a couple of minutes.
“Heidi was choking on something,” Bulldogs coach Tam Hyett said post-match.
“We had to take her inside and smack her on the back and give her a little bit of relief.
“But she’s great.”
Although they’ve missed their shot at finals, Hyett says they’re now bolstered by today’s win against a top eight finishing Saints to bring into the off-season.
“We just beat a final’s side, and that’s the baseline for us now,” Hyett said.
“Knowing we are good enough, and now it’s actually making sure we do all the things right in the off-season that sets us up for a strong pre-season and then start the season well next year.”
