ST KILDA 3.5 6.6 13.9 17.10 (112)
FREMANTLE 4.3 7.4 8.11 9.15 (69)

GOALS
St Kilda: Riewoldt 5, Schneider 4, Milne 3, Koschitzke, Harvey, R Clarke, Eddy, Gilbert.
Fremantle: Campbell 3, Pavlich 3, McPharlin, Duffield, Mundy.

BEST
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Schneider, Milne, Fisher, Harvey, Hayes.
Fremantle: Palmer, Campbell, Crowley, Farmer, Michael Johnson.

INJURIES
St Kilda: Milne (head).
Fremantle: Browne (hamstring).

UMPIRES Schmitt, Hendrie, McInerney.

CROWD 34,014 at Subiaco Oval.

Despite knowing the question, Fremantle could not find the answer to stopping Nick Riewoldt, as he led his St Kilda side to a crucial 43-point win over the Dockers at a sunny Subiaco Oval.

Knowing a win could inject them back into the eight - and a loss would effectively end their season - the Saints were challenged early by both the unseasonably warm conditions and a fast starting Dockers.

With Adam Campbell and Jeff Farmer prevalent early, the Saints' shock loss to the Eagles in Perth three weeks ago looked likely to be repeated.

But when his teammates needed him in the second term, Robert Harvey elevated himself and those around him - with Riewoldt's five goals, Adam Schneider's four and Stephen Milne's three the backbone of the 17.10 (112) to 9.15 (69) win.

While Matthew Pavlich stepped up briefly in the second term, the Dockers' skipper had one of his quietest games of the year - while Riewoldt proceeded to give Steven Dodd a public flogging.

For Milne, an injury picked up in the first quarter swelled up his cheek and eye alarmingly in the last.

With the game meaning a lot more to the Saints, Fremantle's incentive came from the belated Subiaco farewell to Peter Bell, whose retirement has coincided with an improvement in the Dockers' midfield.

Bell's farewell after a stellar career which brought two premierships away from Fremantle, and numerous plaudits since his return, was marked by a low-key welcome - in keeping with the desires of the diminutive Korean-born rover.

And with the springlike weather prompting icy towels from the St Kilda interchange stewards, Fremantle started like they also wanted to pour cold water on Ross Lyon's finals hopes.

The posting of Farmer back and Chris Mayne forward seemed to catch the visitors on the hop, with the veteran gathering up 13 possessions in the first quarter and Mayne continuing to make an impression in an impressive rookie season.

However at the other end, the match-up of Dodd on Riewoldt was clearly to the advantage of the visitors - with the forward's awareness and marking ability allowing him to kick his first of the day and 300th of his career.

That added to Schneider's double to give St Kilda a foothold - but that effort was seen by Kiwi-born, West Perth made Campbell and raised by Paul Duffield to hand the Dockers the first term honours.

If a quarter time message how to quell Farmer and Campbell was relayed, it did not get through as the pair combined for Campbell's third early in the second term.

And with Sam Fisher giving Pavlich too much leeway and Dal Santo under duress, St Kilda looked in trouble - until Harvey did what he has been doing since before Rhys Palmer was born.

Playing his 378th AFL game - 92 more than Bell to again prove is unbelievable longevity - Harvey's stamina in the shadows of half time found Fremantle wanting, and led to a goal for him and another to Milne.

With the gap four points in the Dockers' favour at half time, it was wiped out within 15 seconds of the restart, with Schneider's third putting the Saints' ahead rounding the top bend.

Riewoldt smoothly moved in for the kill, taking three marks in five minutes, kicking two goals from opposite pockets and missing the one from in front.

As good a player as Pavlich is, when he is moved into the midfield it usually signals problems - and just after the Dockers captain was repositioned, Milne's second put the Saints' lead beyond 20 points.

A freakish volley from the same player soon gave the Saints more daylight on the scoreboard - which was suddenly mirrored between the Saints' better players and their opponents.

With the extra space, Riewoldt and co simply did a number on the Dockers - kicking seven goals to Fremantle's one, which could have been even better if he had converted a chance after the siren.

It hardly mattered.

As he had in quarters one and three, Schneider kicked an early goal, and with Fremantle eyeing off deckchairs and ice-creams, Riewoldt brushed off a bleated change of opponent to kick a fifth a top a dominant display.

WA Today