The Saints celebrate after Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera kicked a goal to defeat the Demons at Marvel Stadium in round 20, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

IT WAS the biggest three-quarter time deficit overcome in VFL/AFL history.

And it was Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera who led the way with two goals in the final minute to put St Kilda in front after the siren.

Down 46 points at the final break, the Saints ran out 15.6 (96) to 13.12 (90) victors after a remarkable last quarter under the roof of Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

SAINTS v DEMONS Full match coverage and stats

Wanganeen-Milera, who had toiled all day, took a screamer with less than a minute on the clock to kick the equaliser.

Then, to make matters worse, in the confusion and eight seconds left, Melbourne made a meal of the 6-6-6 anti-density rule, handing a free kick to Rowan Marshall, and leaving Wanganeen-Milera alone 40m from goal.

A slick shift around the contest in the last quarter from St Kilda, largely instigated by the injection of Max Hall (19 disposals, six clearances) in the thick of it, led to a dangerous, free-flowing game style that created some real tension on the scoreboard.

Stuck in a forward line that was starved of opportunities across the opening three quarters, Hall’s movement into the midfield added a point of difference, showing a clear desire to sling the ball through the corridor and putting the ball on a platter for the likes of Mason Wood and Cooper Sharman.

Where the Saints were guilty of stagnant, lateral movement early in the game, the decision to throw caution to the wind following the final break caught Melbourne off guard.

It was a blistering start from the Demons, who piled on six goals from 16 forward entries for the quarter and, quite simply, starved St Kilda of scoring opportunities.

Bayley Fritsch put on a marking masterclass. His positioning goal side of his direct opponent – also helped by Melbourne’s uncharacteristically neat entries forward – allowed him to leap at the contest, and his safe hands bore six marks and three goals in the opening term alone.

St Kilda made hard work of its transition game early, opening up opportunities for Melbourne to press in and capitalise on any modicum of skill error. By contrast, the Demons slung the ball from end to end at breakneck speed.

Christian Petracca (21 disposals, 508m gained) was at his one-touch best gathering the loose ball and breaking away from congestion, and Max Gawn (45 hitouts, eight marks) took the points in the ruck battle against Marshall.

For three quarters, Melbourne got the basics right. Hardness at the contest, tacking, presence in the air, and while it wasn’t necessarily the neatest or prettiest ball movement at times, it was able to keep thing rolling and remain unpredictable to the Saints.

But it simply wasn’t enough. Once the Saints took charge at centre stoppage, the Demons had no answers.

Confusion reigns supreme
At the most crucial moment – eight seconds left on the clock and scores equal – Melbourne made the most unforgivable mistake. Seven of its players, strangely, lined up in attack, meaning St Kilda ruck Rowan Marshall was handed a free kick from the final centre bounce. The next unforgivable moment was, despite time allowed to assess its defensive strategy, allowing Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera to sneak forward alone, and become the target for Marshall. Lax defence, and on-field confusion ultimately cost Melbourne the game.

Forward efficiency, who knew?
A big knock on the Demons this season – and arguably for the last few years – has been their ability to turn forward 50 entries into scores, but against St Kilda on Sunday they were deadly once in the attacking arc. Melbourne shot out to a 25-point quarter-time lead by way of its ability to score from half of its inside 50s. A whipping 37.5 per cent of its first quarter entries resulted in goals, largely thanks to the sticky hands of Bayley Fritsch, who took six marks and kicked three goals for the term.

The Flying Viking snags one
When St Kilda was searching for a little more experience down back to support Callum Wilkie in the face of a barrage of Melbourne forward entries, it was sixth-gamer Alix Tauru who was swung into attack to move Anthony Caminiti back. It bore a special moment for the Saints, when Tauru, known as ‘The Flying Viking’ leapt at the ball to earn a shot on goal. After kicking truly the modest crowd was deafening, immediately starting a ‘Tau-ru’ chant as every single Saint on the field got to the teenager.

ST KILDA        2.1    4.4    6.4     15.6 (96)
MELBOURNE   6.2    9.4    13.8   13.12 (90)

GOALS 
St Kilda: Higgins 4, Wanganeen-Milera 4, Sharman 2, Caminiti, Tauru, Hill, Steele, Wood
Melbourne: Fritsch 3, Lindsay 2, Melksham 2, Chandler 2, Langford, Viney, Petracca, Pickett

BEST
St Kilda: Wanganeen-Milera, Sinclair, Hall, Higgins, Macrae
Melbourne: Gawn, Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Rivers, Fritsch

INJURIES
St Kilda: Collard (right foot)
Melbourne: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Hugh Boxshall (replaced Lance Collard in the second quarter)
Melbourne: Charlie Spargo (replaced Caleb Windsor in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 22,570 at Marvel Stadium