It was enough to get past his team but Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson isn’t convinced St Kilda have the game plan to trouble the AFL’s best.
The Saints overcame a slow start against the 16th-placed Hawks at Metricon Stadium on Sunday to secure an 11.14 (80) to 9.12 (66) win.
The victory lifted the Saints into sixth place with two matches to play as they close in on ending a finals drought stretching back to 2011.
Clarkson, however, was critical of St Kilda’s approach, particularly in the second quarter where Brett Ratten’s team dominated possession with 42 uncontested marks but kicked just one goal.
“They were playing an interesting game where it’s just like a game of keepings-off, really, especially in the second quarter… ,” the four-time premiership coach said.
“They might be able to get away with it against us but I don’t think that the method itself is going to lean itself to kicking a lot of goals… in terms of trying to win big games and score heavily it’ll be interesting to see whether that works for them in the long run.”
Clarkson made seven changes to the team beaten by Adelaide on Tuesday, fielding a line-up that included five players with less than 10 AFL appearances.
The Hawks kicked the first three goals and held a three-point lead at quarter-time.
In response the Saints took control of the ball and did enough to claim the win despite the absence of key forwards Tim Membrey and Max King.
Membrey had been ruled out earlier in the week after undergoing surgery on a fractured finger while King was a late omission to give the youngster a rest before Thursday’s match against West Coast at the Gabba.
In their absence, Rowan Marshall spearheaded the Saints’ attack and booted two goals from eight marks while Jack Lonie also kicked two majors.
Experienced duo Tom Mitchell (27 disposals, one goal) and Luke Breust (two goals) where among Hawthorn’s best as the y slumped to a sixth-straight defeat.
Ratten was in no mood to debate Clarkson’s criticism post-match.
“That’s his comment. We’ll focus on what we can do and maybe they could to,” he said.
Ratten was pleased with the Saints securing a narrow win after losing their past two matches to Brisbane and Melbourne by less than a goal.
“We’ve lost four games by a kick or less so to actually control that game towards the end … Lonie could have passed that ball off maybe but he just took some time off the clock and it’s just a little bit of maturity that we’re starting to show as a young group,” he said.
Ratten confirmed both Membrey and King will return to face the Eagles.
The Hawks will play out 2020 without midfielder James Worpel who injured the AC joint in his right shoulder in a collision with Dean Kent.
Hawthorn have a week until their next match against the Western Bulldogs at the Adelaide Oval.
