The Crows took a seven-game winning streak into the match against the unbeaten Saints, but the visitors couldn't match St Kilda's tackling pressure after quarter-time, a six goal to one second term setting up the 15.15 (105) to 7.6 (48) result.
The Saints went after the Crows mercilessly whenever they had the ball, forcing turnover after turnover as Adelaide’s game plan unraveled under the intense scrutiny.
The Saints had winners all over the ground, with Nick Riewoldt leading the way up forward with 19 possessions and four goals to come out on top in an intriguing duel with Nathan Bock, who managed 28 possessions and 12 marks.
St Kilda's band of classy ball carriers ran hard all day with Farren Ray (39 possessions), Jason Gram (34), Lenny Hayes (34) and Brendon Goddard (33) cutting a swathe through the opposition.
Scott Thompson was Adelaide's best with 27 disposals. Ben Rutten shaded Justin Koschitzke, while Simon Goodwin gathered 29 possessions playing mostly as a loose man in defence.
Brett Burton clearly needed the run in his first game back from a knee reconstruction, but despite a lack of touch, appeared to move well and saw the game out. David Mackay wasn't so lucky, and took no part in the final term after sustaining a hamstring injury.
Koschitzke appeared to suffer a hand injury late in the game and did not return after treatment down in the rooms.
Debutant Brodie Martin's 16-possession, one-goal game was one of the few bright lights on a dark day for the Crows.
It was difficult to imagine how one-sided the contest would become after an opening term where each side booted four goals.
Chris Knights bounced through the first of the day only to see Riewoldt and Koschitzke open their accounts. Martin showed great poise in traffic to boot his maiden AFL goal before Scott Stevens put his side a goal up midway through the quarter.
Adam Schneider and Kurt Tippett traded goals, but Stephen Milne sent his side into the first break two points up with his first of the day.
An even first quarter gave way to a lopsided second period as the Saints tightened the noose. Adelaide was bereft of ideas on how to move the ball through the thick wall of Saints, with several players choosing to kick the ball backwards to a teammate immediately when they received the ball.
Ray's high centred ball nearly hit the roof and bounced at right angles through the middle for St Kilda's first major of the term, and when Milne followed up with his second, the Crows looked wobbly.
Patrick Dangerfield made the most of an untimely slip from Jason Blake to mark and convert from 50, but it was to be Adelaide's only score of the term.
Adelaide went inside attacking 50 just four times for the quarter as the Saints took control. Riewoldt and Milne added another two goals each despite most of the Crows taking up positions in their back half in attempt to stem the flow.
St Kilda opened the second half with a 34-point advantage, and goals to Schneider and Andrew McQualter quickly settled the outcome of the match, with only the margin to be determined.
The Crows couldn't muster a goal in the third quarter, but could at least be thankful for the Saints’ inaccuracy, with their 10 shots on goal yielding just three majors. Gram's brilliant snapped effort was the last of those, pushing the margin out to 57 points at the last break.
With the game in its keeping, the Saints were content to ease to the line – they played out the last minute of the match with just 17 men on the ground - as the teams squared the scoring at two goals apiece in final term.
Both teams made late changes, with the in-form Michael Gardiner replaced by Ben McEvoy for St Kilda, while impressive youngster Martin came in for Robert Shirley for the Crows.
St Kilda 4.4 10.6 13.13 15.15 (105)
Adelaide 4.2 5.2 5.4 7.6 (48)
GOALS
St Kilda: Milne 4, Riewoldt 4, Schneider 2, Gram, Koschitzke, McEvoy, McQualter, Ray
Adelaide: Stevens 2, Tippett 2, Dangerfield, Knights, Martin
BEST
St Kilda: Ray, Riewoldt, Milne, Gram, Goddard, Hayes, Dal Santo, Baker, S.Fisher
Adelaide: Goodwin, Thompson, Rutten, Bock, Otten, Martin
INJURIES
St Kilda: Gardiner (corked calf) replaced in selected side by McEvoy. Koschitzke (split webbing)
Adelaide: Shirley (flu) replaced in selected side by Martin. Mackay (hamstring), Porplyzia (corked knee), Dangerfield (head)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Grun, Meredith, Ryan
Official crowd: 31,940 at Docklands
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
