Its losing run may have ended but the question marks over St Kilda will not go away after it scrapped to a 13-point win over the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Thursday night.
Regular grand finalists St Kilda still looked a shadow of its once mighty self despite holding out the winless Lions 13.11 (89) to 11.10 (76) in front of 22,520 fans.
The Saints reeled in a five-point deficit at the final change thanks largely to Adam Schneider (three goals) and Leigh Montagna (33 disposals).
For the luckless Lions, Mitch Clark grabbed four goals while Tom Rockliff had 29 disposals and both Jed Adcock and Jack Redden had 27 touches.
Critics may have predicted the Lions would fail to register a victory in their first three games without inspirational skipper Jonathan Brown.
But the Saints - who have contested three grand finals in two seasons - had most tipsters stumped after also arriving at the Gabba without a 2011 win to their name.
And that trend did not look like changing based on their disappointing early display against a dogged Lions.
St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne at least kicked two majors to help his side grab a 5.2 (32) to 4.4 (28) lead at the first break.
But just two goals overall were kicked in the second term as the Saints held on for a narrow halftime lead.
An error-riddled Saints looked largely dispirited until Jason Gram brought up their only major of the second quarter to snatch a 6.4 (40) to 5.6 (36) half-time lead.
But two quick goals by Clark ensured the Lions enjoyed a 9.9 (63) to 9.4 (58) buffer at three-quarter time.
History was on the Lions' side - the Saints had won only three of their 16 Gabba games, although they had claimed two of the last four.
But in the end, Lions coach Michael Voss will remember his 50th game at the helm for all the wrong reasons.
Technically the Lions (0-4) are on track to match the club's worst start to a season - they failed to win a game until round six in their wooden spoon year of 1998.
But it could be argued they got more out of the match than the Saints.
St Kilda: 13.11 (89) - A Schneider 3, J Gram 2, J Steven 2, S Milne 2, B Goddard, F Ray, N Dal Santo, N Riewoldt
Lions: 11.10 (76) - M Clark 4, J Redden 2, J Adcock, J Polec, J Polkinghorne, L Power, T Rockliff
- AAP
First posted April 21, 2011 22:31:00
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