NICK Dal Santo's tenure as St Kilda's AFLW coach has ended on a high with his brave Saints putting together a courageous two-point victory over Collingwood on Saturday afternoon. 

The Saints Hall of Famer announced his resignation a day earlier following a disappointing 0-8 start to the season, but Dal Santo finished his six seasons in charge with four points, the Saints winning 5.9 (39) to 5.7 (37) in front of a crowd of 2,180.

From the first ball-up it was evident Dal Santo's troops had rallied following their difficult week, Saints players coming out with an intensity, laying 19 tackles in the first quarter and winning clearances 10-3.

At the first break, both sides had nine inside 50s, but neither team had a goal to show for their hard work.

Magpies skipper Ruby Schleicher kicked the game's first goal early in the second term, but Collingwood was dealt a blow shortly after when Schleicher left the game cradling her right shoulder following a strong tackle by Saints defender Maya Louvel-Finn.

With Schleicher unable to take the free kick, 100-gamer Sabrina Frederick took the shot on goal and slotted the game's second, much to the delight of Collingwood fans who had turned out to celebrate her milestone.

The Saints peppered at goal before half-time, but couldn't capitalise, with Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw and Jaimee Lambert missing gettable opportunities, the Pies heading into the main break with a 12-point lead.

Quick goals after half-time through star midfielder Tyanna Smith and Tawhiao-Wardlaw drew scores level at the start of the third.

The Saints' Nicola Xenos, who returned to football just a week earlier from an ACL injury, out-bodied her opponent inside 50 to take a solid mark, earning herself a shot on goal, which she put through to give the home side the lead for the first time.

St Kilda went into the final quarter with a 10-point lead, but when the Magpies' Lucille Cronin kicked the opening goal of the term the margin was reduced to just four points, making the largely St Kilda crowd nervous.

A second goal to Tawhiao-Wardlaw extended the lead back out to 10 points to give the Saints some breathing room, but from that point on it was all down Collingwood's end.

Tempers flared between Pies forward Bri Davey and Paige Trudgeon, with the two finding themselves in tussles throughout the final quarter. Davey was unable to make the most of her chances in front of the big sticks, finishing with two behinds.

With 30 seconds remaining, Ash Centra reduced the margin to two points, but the Saints won the final clearance to secure their first win of the year.

'Sabs' hits milestone mark

On Saturday afternoon, the competition celebrated another 100-game milestone, this time to inaugural player Sabrina Frederick. Frederick began her career at Brisbane where she was selected as one of the club's two marquee signings. After three seasons with the Lions, Frederick ventured down to Victoria to play with Richmond, before a trade was agreed for her to move to Collingwood. The Magpies are the club she has represented for the longest, now in her sixth season, where she has played 62 of her now 100 games.

Up next

Both teams have an eight-day break until their round 10 matches. Collingwood faces Sydney next Sunday afternoon at Windy Hill, while St Kilda has the hardest interstate trip in the competition, when it heads to Western Australia to take on Fremantle on Sunday evening at Cockburn Oval.

ST KILDA                  0.3    0.5    4.9    5.9 (39)

COLLINGWOOD       0.1    2.5    3.5    5.7 (37)

GOALS

St Kilda: Tawhiao-Wardlaw 2, Smith, Xenos, McDonald

Collingwood: Schleicher, Frederick, Hogan, Cronin, Centra

INJURIES

St Kilda: Nil

Collingwood: Schleicher (shoulder)

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 2,180 at RSEA Park