Saturday second AFL Round 1 match is between St Kilda Saints and Melbourne Demons with the game to be played at Etihad Stadium. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7:40 PM with away team Melbourne Demons currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between St Kilda Saints and Melbourne Demons.

Round: Round 1, Saturday 7:40 PM March 22, 2014
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Weather: 21° Partly cloudy.

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Odds Comparison:

St Kilda Saints	2.45	2.40	2.40	2.40	2.45	2.40
Melbourne Demons	1.55	1.58	1.58	1.58	1.55	1.57

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

The Saints take on Melbourne on Saturday, 7.40pm at Etihad Stadium.  This clash looks like one of the closest encounters of Round 1, even with both teams struggling for form in recent years.  The Saints had a shocking season in 2013, and have a lot of work to do before they can even start thinking about finals football.  Melbourne will be slight favourites to take home the points here, and after so much trouble in recent times, that is saying a lot.

Both teams are suffering from multiple injuries this week, with the Saints missing key midfielders Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna, and Jack Steven.  The Demons don’t fair any better in the line-up stakes, and will have to do without Chris Dawes, Mitch Clark, and Jesse Hogan, Colin Garland, Mark Jamar, and Max Gawn.  Both teams will be looking to start the season with fresh energy and emulate the surprising victories by Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney last weekend.

Teams:

St Kilda Saints:
Backs: Dempster Delaney Gwilt
Half-backs: Wright Roberton Webster
Centres: Newnes Dunstan Ray
Half-forwards: Jones Riewoldt Saunders
Forwards: Stanley Maister Templeton
Followers: Hickey Armitage
Rover: Savage
Interchange: Geary Billings Gilbert Curren
Emergencies: Ross Dennis-Lane Lee
New: Luke Delaney, 24, North Melbourne; Shane Savage, 23, Hawthorn; Luke Dunstan, 19, Woodville-West Torrens; Eli Templeton, 18, Burnie Dockers (Tas); Jack Billings, 18, Oakleigh U18

Melbourne Demons:
Backs: Terlich Frawley Grimes
Half-backs: Dunn McDonald Vince
Centres: Toumpas Watts Tyson
Half-forwards: Bail Fitzpatrick Cross
Forwards: Byrnes Pedersen Howe
Followers: Spencer N Jones
Rover: Trengove
Interchange: Michie M Jones Kennedy-Harris Georgiou
Emergencies: Nicholson Blease Evans
New: Daniel Cross, 30, Western Bulldogs; Viv Michie, 22, Fremantle; Dom Tyson, 20, GWS Giants; Bernie Vince, 28, Adelaide; Jay Kennedy-Harris, 18, Oakleigh U18; Alex Georgiou, 24, Norwood (SANFL)

News:

While most players dream of an AFL grand final triumph, Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones will settle for a round one win.

Since making his AFL debut in 2006 it’s a feat he hasn’t achieved but Jones feels the Demons are “primed for a good crack” at it against St Kilda on Saturday.

The closest they’ve come in that time was in 2011 when they opened the season with an 84-84 draw with Sydney.

“Personally I’d love to win a round one match, I don’t think I’ve ever won one so I’m looking forward to that chance,” Jones said.

Both teams are under-manned – Melbourne in the forwards and the Saints through the midfield – but Jones has faith in the players who will line up at Etihad Stadium.

“Although our forward line is understrength not having Dawesy (Chris Dawes), Hoges (Jesse Hogan) and Mitch (Clark), we’re pretty confident with the boys we’ve got in there.

“Jack Fitzpatrick and Pedo (Cameron Pedersen) will be our keys and we’ve got some real talent around them in the mid to small forward range.”

That’s set to include exciting teenage forward Jay Kennedy-Harris while Jones also nominated mature-age recruit Alex Georgiou and trade acquisitions Daniel Cross, Viv Michie, Bernie Vince and Dom Tyson as likely starters.

“Alex has been really strong down in defence and he has had a great NAB Challenge series.

“He has been filling the role of Col Garland, who has been out for a while,” Jones said.

As well as the poor round one record, Melbourne haven’t beaten St Kilda since 2006 or won at Etihad in 16 home and away games.

But Jones said it was a fresh start under new Demons mentor Paul Roos.

“It’s a new coach, a new game plan and a new season.

“We had some success there (beating Richmond) in the pre-season.

“I think the Etihad hoodoo or whatever they call it isn’t real.”

Jones felt confidence and self-belief were on the rise under Roos after a pretty bleak period.

“A lot of the players who have been through that were possibly scarred so Roosy has done a great job building back the belief and confidence.

We’re looking forward to getting out there and testing ourselves against the Saints and, hopefully, implementing what we’ve practised in the pre-season.”