Saints' finals hopes fading fast after falling to Dockers (2024)

WALYALUP has ground out a 17-point win over Euro-Yroke, pulling away late despite another tough night in front of goal.

The Dockers kicked 9.18 (72) to the Saints' 8.7 (55), scoring an important win to keep touch with the top eight while ensuring the hosts' difficult year continues.

SAINTS v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

Euro-Yroke and Walyalup haven’t been the most reliable of teams this year, and it was tricky to predict how the match was going to play out – the only certainty was that two defensive sides going head-to-head would be a low-scoring affair.

The Saints made all the early running, with the Dockers looking more dangerous at points, but still decidedly unsettled.

Euro-Yroke recruit Paddy Dow had waited nearly three months to get his first opportunity in his fresh colours after a pre-season knee injury, and started in the middle of the field against Andrew Brayshaw. It didn't take him long to have an impact, either, kicking his side's second with a dribbling goal.

But once Walyalup found its feet, the goals flowed quickly, turning a 10-point deficit into a nine-point lead, as the Saints continually trapped themselves in their own back half through slow rebound.

The usually dead-eye Jye Amiss took a few shots to find his radar, missing two very gettable goals by his standards, before converting the hardest of the three with a snap shot. It was an odd night in front of goal for the young Docker, later converting a beautiful shot tight on the boundary, but then again missing from directly in front to finish with 2.5.

Mitch Owens had three goals before half-time as the Dockers' defence seemingly had no answer for the hybrid forward, but it was Bailey Banfield who snatched the lead back for Walyalup with 10 seconds left to the main break.

Euro-Yroke lifted its pace across the middle two terms, but still struggled with its flow and connectivity, particularly when kicking into its attacking 50. It made life very difficult for Max King, who was closely marked by Alex Pearce and didn't have nearly enough clean delivery to have an impact on the game.

Frustrations boiled over for King in the fourth term, slinging the Walyalup captain in a tackle that will likely be looked at by the MRO.

It'd been a ho-hum first half, the crowd restless waiting for a big moment, and it took a purple patch for recalled Euro-Yroke forward Anthony Caminiti – kicking 2.1 in the opening seven minutes of the third term – to bring them (and the Saints) roaring back into the contest.

But it was essentially the last yelp raised by the Saints, the Dockers' inaccuracy the only thing keeping the contest alive.

When Walyalup connected – driven by the likes of Jordan Clark, Caleb Serong and Hayden Young – the team moved the ball with fluidity, speed and precision, finding options in attack, but the forward line's conversion cost them.

Walyalup's inaccuracy continues
It was an especially tough week for the Dockers last week after the loss of former player Cam McCarthy, and it was more than fair to give them grace for the 4.15 they kicked against Sydney. But it proved to be an issue again on Saturday night, the Dockers booting nine straight behinds – including an overturned Jeremy Sharp goal – before a coughed-up Riley Bonner kick-in resulted in a Josh Treacy major.

Rucks bring their own footy
Aside from stoppages, it appeared Luke Jackson and Rowan Marshall completely played off each other, amassing the footy at will and adding a fourth midfielder to their teams' rotations. At half-time, Jackson had recorded 20 hitouts, 16 disposals and seven clearances – numbers that would have been respectable on the final siren – while Marshall led his side in touches with 19, as well as 18 hitouts and four clearances. The Saint led all-comers with 31 disposals, 38 hitouts and eight clearances, with Jackson recording 25, 40 and 10.

Another possible MRO case for Webster?
Saint Jimmy Webster has been involved in another nasty collision again, but unlike the bump on Jy Simpkin, he had eyes only for the ball. Docker Michael Frederick was running back with the flight in the opening minutes of the game when Webster came towards the ball, jumping up to spoil Frederick's marking attempt. Frederick hit the deck, the stretcher was called but not used as he left the ground under his own steam. He was ruled out with concussion, meaning Webster is in for another uncomfortable wait for the MRO report despite the accidental nature of the contest.

EURO-YROKE 2.0 5.3 7.5 8.7 (55)
WALYALUP 3.2 5.6 6.11 9.18 (72)

GOALS
Euro-Yroke:Owens 3, Caminiti 2, Dow, Henry, Phillipou
Walyalup:Amiss 2, O'Meara 2, Johnson, Sharp, Voss, Banfield, Treacy

BEST
Euro-Yroke:Marshall, Sinclair, Steele, Windhager, Battle, Owens
Walyalup:Clark, Serong, Jackson, Ryan, Young, Brayshaw

INJURIES
Euro-Yroke:Nil
Walyalup:Frederick (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Euro-Yroke:Zak Jones (replaced Sharman in the third quarter)
Walyalup:Tom Emmett (replaced Frederick in the first quarter)

Crowd:19,265 at Marvel Stadium