Saints storm home in crazy finish against Demons

St Kilda have pulled off the greatest three-quarter-time comeback in VFL/AFL history, storming home from 46 points down to stun Melbourne in a crazy finish at Marvel Stadium.

Off-contract star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was the hero, slotting two goals in a frantic climax to pinch a miracle six-point victory.

The Saints slotted nine unanswered goals in the final term to win 15.6 (96) to 13.12 (90).

It pips the previous the best last quarter revival, when the Brisbane Bears came from 45 points down at the final break to beat Hawthorn in 1995.

Wanganeen-Milera calmly slotted his third goal after flying for a soaring mark with less than 20 seconds remaining.

That levelled the scores, before a 6-6-6 penalty in the middle was paid against the Demons, to the confusion of all players.

Saints ruck Rowan Marshall was able to perfectly pick out Wanganeen-Milera running inside 50 to take a mark just before the siren sounded.

Any score would have given the Saints victory, but Wanganeen-Milera went back and kicked the goal, to a raucous reaction from the crowd.

“Underneath the exterior, I can get emotional,” St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said, who was in disbelief watching in the box.

“A little bit watery when Nas took that mark.

“I think it’s just that emotion, just for the players, just for them.

“Our young players never gave up, and our leaders never gave up, and they found a way.”

Lyon also revealed Wanganeen-Milera, who had a game-high 34 disposals alongside his match-winning four goals, was in doubt to play due to a stye in his eye.

“I had a sleep-in this morning. Got up, make my coffee. I see four missed calls from the doctor,” Lyon said.

“Experience tells me this can’t be good.

“He said ‘Nas has come in’ and they upped his antibiotics, given him an injection.

“I rang him (Wanganeen-Milera), he goes, ‘No, I’ll be right’.

“I just said, ‘If you’re not right, no pressure, we’ll tap you out’.

“He just let us know so it was a good story.”

St Kilda are desperate to keep Wanganeen-Milera as he entertains large offers from both South Australian clubs.

This performance, one of the best individual efforts of the season, will only lift his value even further.

Melbourne forward Bayley Fritsch broke the game open with three first-quarter goals, giving his side a 25-point buffer.

The Demons, inspired by tackling machine Jack Viney (16 tackles) extended their lead during every quarter to cruise into the last break seemingly destined for a seventh-straight win.

Instead, their capitulation ended a six-game losing run for the Saints, with their last victory also against Melbourne in June when they pipped the inaccurate Demons in Alice Springs.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin was left gobsmacked at losing from such a position of dominance.

“Devastating loss, clearly,” he said.

“We didn’t defend and pressure as well as we were early in the game.

“Then basically late in the game, we didn’t handle the pressure, we didn’t handle the moment, and we didn’t handle the tight game scenarios like we should have, and that’s on all of us.

“We’ll own that together.”

St Kilda youngster Lance Collard injured his foot in the first quarter, tried to play on, but was subbed out in the second term for Hugh Boxshall and ended the match on crutches.

Melbourne defender Jake Bowey could be in some trouble with the match review officer after a potential dangerous tackle on St Kilda forward Jack Higgins just before halftime.