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St Kilda has cemented its place within the AFL prime eight and denied Sydney star Lance Franklin a fairytale end in his 350th match with a hard-fought 14-point victory on the SCG.
Franklin lit up his milestone match within the second time period with a 1058th profession objective, nevertheless it was the Saints who completed brighter for a 12.8 (80) to 9.12 (66) triumph on Thursday night time.
Key defender Callum Wilkie clamped down on Franklin after the star ahead threatened to spark the hosts, because the Saints (8-4) booted 5 targets to 2 within the closing time period to overrun the Swans.
Jack Sinclair (32 disposals, seven clearances) was very good for the Saints whether or not profitable the ball at stoppages or beginning their ball motion from defence, whereas Brad Crouch (33) and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (30, one objective) have been additionally essential.
Max King completed with three targets as Mitch Owens and Dan Butler each booted two, whereas Rowan Marshall (16 disposals, 51 hitouts) dominated within the ruck because the Saints snapped a seven-match shedding streak on the SCG going again to 2009.
However the Saints might be sweating on the evaluation of a Dan Butler sort out on Nick Blakey within the third time period, after their small ahead introduced the Swans’ defender to floor and he was quickly subbed out resulting from concussion.
Franklin’s first of two targets for the night time took him to outright fourth among the many most prolific VFL/AFL goalkickers however there could be no wild celebrations on the closing siren this time.
Onballers James Rowbottom (24 disposals, 9 clearances) and Chad Warner (24, six) battled laborious within the absence of Swans co-captains Luke Parker and Callum Mills, as younger midfielder Angus Sheldrick (19, eight) loved a breakout recreation.
Oliver Florent (34, 5) and Justin McInerney (22) additionally stood out with their exterior run and clear ball use, whereas goalsneak Tom Papley joined Franklin on two targets for the Swans.
Whereas the event centered on arguably probably the most fascinating participant of contemporary occasions, it was a dour opening time period because the Saints managed only one objective and the Swans have been stored scoreless.
Franklin then made his mark in the second time period with two targets because the Swans slammed on 5 majors to take a nine-point benefit into the principle break.
It was an arm wrestle from there and the Swans took a six-point lead into the ultimate time period however, simply as towards Better Western Sydney and Port Adelaide at residence earlier this season, they have been steadily overrun.
Sydney heads to Queensland subsequent to play Brisbane on Friday night time, whereas St Kilda will face Richmond on the MCG on Saturday night time.
-AAP