St Kilda coach Ross Lyon felt Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera simply played to expectation when registering a career-high 46 disposals in his side’s comfortable 67-point win over bottom side Essendon.
The Saints’ superstar continued his scintillating form as he pulled the strings in midfield in a percentage-boosting 17.15 (117) to 7.8 (50) victory at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
It improved St Kilda’s record to seven wins and nine losses – one win outside the finals places – while the Bombers (1-15) are still without a victory from five outings under interim coach Dean Solomon.
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Wanganeen-Milera set a new personal-best disposal tally for the second time in as many matches, finishing with one goal and 906 metres gained as best afield, while Bradley Hill (42 touches) was also influential.
“We expect them to be (prolific). They’re experienced and top-level players,” Lyon said.
“They play to the level that’s required, to be honest. We don’t see it as a bonus.”
Hill finished with a limp after he had a foot stood on in the dying stages.
“We wait and assess,” Lyon said.
“Things that you think are innocuous turn out to be something more significant, and things you think are significant turn out to be innocuous.
“Until it’s 72 hours out, you’re never that confident.”
There were plenty of contributors for St Kilda, who posted a triple-figure score for the seventh time this season.
Max Hall (33), Hugo Garcia (29) and Mason Wood (27) were among the major ball-winners, while Callum Wilkie led a solid back-line, and Darcy Wilson shone with two goals from 25 touches.
Liam Ryan, Rowan Marshall, Jack Higgins and Anthony Caminiti (two each) were all among the Saints’ dozen goal-kickers.
Wilson had the first major on the board inside the opening minute and St Kilda never trailed, putting a 71-point break on their opponents when piling on eight goals to one in the second quarter.
Essendon never had any momentum or control in the contest, despite the efforts of Sam Durham (24 disposals, nine clearances) and Zach Merrett (28 touches).
Young key forward Nate Caddy finished with 3.3 from 12 disposals.
Solomon admitted it was hard to find positives from the performance after a horror first-half display, but denied his players have lost hope.
“They’re pretty proud individually and collectively. It’s a jumper we love and a club we love, so they’re disappointed,” Solomon said.
“They’re still there, they want to fight until the end and they want to finish (the season) with momentum.
“It’s very tough now. We know that and we understand that, but we won’t fracture … at the moment it’s a tough period of time, but we stick together.”
