Sunday’s AFL 2018 Round 23 match is between St Kilda Saints and North Melbourne Kangaroos. The opening kick is set to commence at 16:40 local time with the game to be played at Etihad Stadium. The away team North Melbourne Kangaroos are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between St Kilda Saints and North Melbourne Kangaroos.
When: 16:40 | Sunday 26/08/2018
Where: Etihad Stadium
Preview:
St Kilda were gallant in their close defeat to the Hawks and at least they were competitive for one of the few times this year.
It’s a blow for the Saints to have Jarryn Geary and Jake Carlisle under an injury cloud but I don’t think St Kilda will be good enough to win regardless of whether these two play or not.
The Kangaroos’ finals hopes are over but they’ll still be motivated in this game with Jarrad Waite playing his last game for the club.
They’ll be hoping to send him off on a positive note.
KEY BATTLE: St Kilda defenders v Ben Brown
Brown is still a chance to win the Coleman medal but he’ll have to probably kick five goals plus which he can do.
The Verdict
Kangaroos comfortably.
North Melbourne has a 3-2 (60.0 percent) record against the Saints at Etihad Stadium since 2015.
Unibet Odds:
St Kilda Saints at $3.55
North Melbourne Kangaroos at $1.30
Odds:
Tip: North Melbourne Kangaroos at $1.29
Value Bet: First Goal Scorer: Mason Wood at $10.00
More Info:
Teams:
St Kilda Saints: 
B: Geary, Austin, Rice
HB: McKenzie, Carlisle, Webster
C: Newnes, Steele, Sinclair
HF: Lonie, Membrey, Billings
F: Gresham, Marshall, Long
FOLL: Pierce, Steven, Ross
I/C (from): Dunstan, Acres, Clark, Gilbert, Paton, Armitage, Goddard, Weller
IN: Carlisle, Dunstan, Clark, Weller
OUT:
North Melbourne Kangaroos: 
B: Daw, Thompson, Williams
HB: Macmillan, Tarrant, Atley
C: McDonald, Simpkin, Dumont
HF: Anderson, Waite, Wood
F: Ziebell, Brown, Turner
FOLL: Goldstein, Cunnington, Higgins
I/C (from): Hrovat, Davies-Uniacke, Clarke, Ahern, Mountford, Wright, McKay, Murphy
IN: Davies-Uniacke, Ahern, McKay, Murphy, Mountford
OUT: Walker
AFL News:
North Melbourne key forward Jarrad Waite will retire after Sunday’s AFL game against St Kilda.
Waite, the son of Carlton player Vin Waite, played 184 games for the Blues and Sunday will be his 60th for the Kangaroos.
The 35-year-old has been a strong contributor for the Kangaroos when fit, booting 122 goals from 59 games across four years.
But persistent calf injuries have plagued his time at Arden St, restricting him to only 22 games in the last two seasons.
Waite started 2018 in hot form, booting 22 majors from his first nine games including a bag of four against GWS before his troublesome calf again flared up.
Earlier this year Waite said he was open to playing on into a 17th season but that was before the AFL’s fourth-oldest active player again succumbed to injury.
Waite’s first season with North in 2015 was also the most productive of his career, yielding 42 goals from 23 games.
He will address media alongside coach Brad Scott on Tuesday afternoon.
