St Kilda have destroyed struggling West Coast by 101 points for their biggest win in 11 years amid a controversial intervention from the AFL’s review centre.
The Saints kicked eight unanswered final-quarter goals, ravaging last year’s wooden spooners 22.11 (143) to 5.12 (42) at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
It was St Kilda’s highest score in a game since Ross Lyon returned in 2023 for his second stint as coach.
Lyon’s men equalled the club’s largest winning margin against the Eagles from 21 years ago, with the victory their biggest since they smashed Essendon by 110 points in 2015.
Jack Higgins kicked five goals as St Kilda — the biggest players in last year’s trade period — improved their 2026 record to 3-4 ahead of a clash with beleaguered Carlton on Saturday night.
St Kilda were the beneficiaries of a baffling call from the ARC midway through the second quarter.
Their ruckman Rowan Marshall appeared to control the ball behind St Kilda’s goal-line, with the Eagles given the all-clear to kick in.
But play was abruptly halted more than a minute later, with the umpire taking the ball back more than 80m to give Marshall a shot at goal, to the confusion of the crowd.
After reviewing the decision while play continued, the ARC had overruled the goal umpire.
Marshall converted his shot, kickstarting a run of four St Kilda goals.
After an incorrect boundary line decision late in Adelaide’s narrow round three loss at Geelong, the AFL allowed the ARC to have more time in reviewing important calls.
“I didn’t have a clue what was going on,” Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said of the ARC call.
“We were in the game (at that time), so it was a little bit of a momentum swing, but we have much bigger problems.
“If they’re going to do it, it’s got to be clear cut.
“If I lose a grand final like that, I’ll probably care a bit more, but today it’s not an issue for me.”
Lyon was happy the call went in St Kilda’s favour.
“I will take it, but in the context of the game trying to be shortened, I’m not sure it satisfies that criteria,” Lyon said.
“When people have the best intentions, I don’t think we should undermine it.”
Apart from a brief run of play early in the third quarter, West Coast were blown away by the Saints, as emerging youngster Hugo Garcia (32 possessions, two goals) starred in a breakout performance.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (34 possessions) was typically influential, despite being followed around early in the match by West Coast’s prized No.1 draft pick Willem Duursma.
Higgins boosted his goal tally in the past two weeks to eight, while Liam Ryan slotted three majors in his first game against his former club since joining St Kilda in October.
West Coast have been convincingly beaten in all four games since their rousing upset of Port Adelaide in round three.
In promising news for St Kilda, forgotten forward Max King made it through his long-awaited VFL return, managed during the third quarter after kicking one behind.
As the VFL game finished after the AFL fixture, Lyon offered no insights when asked about King’s potential senior return in six days’ time.
