Source: perthnow.com.au

MELBOURNE'S weather wasn't the only force causing damage as St Kilda thrashed Fremantle by 70 points to secure a berth in the NAB Cup Grand Final.

The collapse of a section of roof during the heavy storm that lashed Melbourne in the afternoon forced the match to be delayed by 20 minutes while an inspection was carried out on public areas.

Supporters were locked out until just before the game began and were confined to the ground level when finally let in as the middle and top tiers were declared off limits to the public.

The delay had no impact on the Saints, who began with a goal inside the first minute and strolled to a commanding 2.15.7 (115) to 2.3.9 (45) win, while the Dockers played like they had hoped the storm would wash the game out.

Goalsneak Stephen Milne kicked four goals for the second game in succession, Clint Jones had a picnic with 40 disposals in midfield and Jason Gram had a big impact with his penetrating kicking and three goals, including a nine-pointer.

ST KILDA has earned a chance to erase at least some of the heartache from last September after it booked a place in the NAB Cup grand final by thrashing Fremantle by 70 points at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

After a tumultuous afternoon - in which it looked like the match might not go ahead due to damage to the stadium - the Saints were far too good for Freo, leading from start to finish as they won 2.15.7 (115) to 2.3.9 (45).

The only sour point for coach Ross Lyon was a calf injury to Saint playmaker Lenny Hayes, who is certain to miss next week’s NAB Cup grand final against the Western Bulldogs.

“It’s a corked calf, maybe the slightest of strains, which upset me a bit,” Lyon said of Hayes’ injury.

“It took the gloss off what was a good performance … a weight-of-numbers performance.

“But regardless of whether it’s a cork or a really slight [strain], he’ll play round one, we’re really confident of that.”

Source: perthnow.com.au

SIX seconds away from a soul-destroying defeat, Fremantle instead salvaged a thrilling four-point victory over North Melbourne to set up a semi-final showdown with St Kilda in the NAB Cup.

Dockers forward Ryan Murphy booted the winning goal in the dying seconds to seal a dramatic 1.12.13 (94) to 0.13.12 (90) quarter-final win at Etihad Stadium on Sunday night after Fremantle looked to have thrown away victory inside the last 10 minutes.

Fremantle led at every change and held the upper hand throughout, but North fought back from three goals down inside the final few minutes to take a two-point lead.

As another Docker shocker loomed, instead the club famed for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory regrouped to do exactly the opposite.

Dockers wingman Stephen Hill, who had been influential with 17 important touches, swooped on a loose ball to start the move which sent Murphy running to goal.

Source: perthnow.com.au

FREMANTLE captain Matthew Pavlich has thrown his weight behind Mark Harvey as the coach to build the young Dockers toward finals.

Harvey also has the full backing and faith of all Dockers players and is growing as a coach, according to Pavlich.

Harvey is out of contract at the end of season 2010 and confronts a horrendous fixture draw in a bid to build on six wins in each of his past two years as coach.

Ironically, Harvey locks horns with Melbourne coach Dean Bailey in today's first round NAB Cup clash at Subiaco.

The Demons' coach is also out of contract at the end of this season but is widely tipped to get an extension before the start of the home-and-away season.

The Demons have finished last in each of the past two seasons with three and four wins.

Pavlich has declared his own allegiance to Fremantle despite not committing to sign a new contract beyond the end of this season.