The jeers came thick and fast for Jack Silvagni and Tom De Koning from spurned Carlton fans, but the pair had the last laugh at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night when St Kilda strode to a 39-point win.
More pressure was heaped on Blues coach Michael Voss after a 42-point turnaround in the third term had the Blues turn a two-goal lead into a five-goal deficit by the final break, eventually conceding 12 of the final 14 goals of the night.
It was the fifth time on the six occasions this season where the Blues have lost after leading at the main break.
Fox Footy analyst David King ripped the Blues, taking particular aim at midfielders Patrick Cripps, Adam Cerra and Sam Walsh.
“There has been a distinct lack of leadership,” King said.
“Well, we haven’t seen Cripps fire a shot. Cerra has turned it over this quarter, Walsh’s disposal has been disgraceful.”
King later added: “The midfield was assaulted for 30 minutes. Just how quickly they [the Blues] lose their handle on games is frightening. For whatever it is, they lose faith at half-time in their own model.”
Voss, off contract at the end of the season, faces an enormous fight to save his job.
Cripps was a shadow of his once-great self, while Cerra and Walsh had been busy in the first half before their impact was negated.
The loss leaves the Blues with just the one win, while the Saints, led brilliantly after half-time by Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, have had a superb month, winning three games, while their lone loss was by one point. They are firmly in the finals hunt.
It was the backdrop to this clash which made it particularly spicy. Of course, that focused on new Saints De Koning and Silvagni coming face to face against their former club for the first time after their high-profile, off-season departures.
De Koning packed up and left when seduced by a multi-year deal worth about $12 million, while Silvagni, the third-generation lineage of Carlton royalty, also received a juicy offer when he was an unrestricted free agent.
Voss said pre-game he did not know what his men had in store for their former teammates. That became obvious when there was no remonstration before the opening ball up, nor when De Koning booted a first-term goal. The Blues could have lit a “spot fire” with De Koning had they wanted. Instead, the defenders just gathered as a group, keen to move on.
De Koning had begun the match by winning the opening tap against Marc Pittonet. His athleticism was on show all night. Silvagni was steady in defence, spending time on Mitch McGovern and Brodie Kemp.
There was a bizarre moment early when Silvagni marked inside defensive 50, only to kick straight to former teammate Matt Carroll on the wing, who then delivered the ball straight back to Silvagni, sparking more booing from Blues fans.
Finally, it did not matter, for the focus again shifted to how woeful the Blues had been.
Their frustrations were highlighted when youngster Harry Dean dangerously pushed Liam Henry in the back just as he nudged through a goal. Henry skidded into the LED lightning, Wanganeen-Milera remonstrating with Dean, who had a free kick paid against him, gifting Henry back-to-back goals in the blink of an eye.
The Saints were forced into two late changes, including the absence of small forward jack Higgins, but they still produced expansive football. Brad Hill, Mason Wood and Jack Sinclair provided run and drive, while Rowan Marshall was superb up forward, the Saints dominating the Blues on scores from turnover.
The Saints have now booted at least 100 points four times this season, having only done so once last year.
Ollie Florent and Nic Newman found plenty of the ball, while Brodie Kemp was productive inside attacking 50, but the Blues’ efforts after half-time will be brutally analysed.
