AFL Live: St Kilda tackle Sydney in wildcard fight; Hawks and Kangaroos do battle in Tassie

Danny RussellUpdated August 1, 2026 — 1:12pm,first published 12:52pmKey Posts1.12pmFirst goal to CharlieBy No bonuses if you have picked Sydney’s first goalkicker. It is gun forward Charlie Curnow.He puts the first major through at Marvel Stadium against the Saints, finding himself on the receiving end of a looping Brodie Grundy handball as he runs alone into a vacant goal square. It is first-hand proof of how quickly Sydney move the ball. St Kilda’s Max Hall kicks a point, hitting the post, and before his teammates can set up, the Swans go coast-to-coast for a quickfire goal in 16 seconds. That’s madness.Nick Blakey took the kick-in, immediately playing on and hammering the ball into the centre square where Tom Papley picks the Sherrin off the deck and delivers it long to Grundy who then handballs to Curnow. What an incredible goal.12.59pmLyon name-drops Scotty, againBy Ross Lyon’s obsession with all things Chris Scott continues unabated. The St Kilda coach has again thrown Scott’s name into the mix apropos of nothing.Lyon was fronting the Fox Footy cameras today before the Saints clash with Sydney at Marvel Stadium when he was asked who his new run-with player Hugh Boxshall would tag this afternoon. Ross Lyon references Chris Scott … again.Getty Images“We trained him up in the twos,” Lyon said. “I’ve been really conscious that I haven’t had the (Clinton) Jones or the (Ryan) Crowley, and really I see Chris Scott as one of the best teams and coaches in the comp, and it’s good enough for them, and they can knock two over, and we’ve just been rolling out trying to, we really hadn’t done it a lot.“So, we trained him up. He got it done. We’ve got to have a look where (Chad) Warner and (ISaac) Heeney and (Errol) Gulden are, and who’s up and going? So there’ll be a bit of flexibility in that.”Not sure what any of this has to do with Chris Scott, but that’s Rossy for you.12.49pmSt Kilda’s plan of attackBy Don’t get beaten by what you know. That’s the mantra that St Kilda coach Ross Lyon is taking into today’s clash against Sydney at Marvel Stadium, starting at 1.05pm.So, just what do we know about the Swans, Rossy?Saints coach Ross Lyon is wary of Charlie Curnow.Getty Images“They got some strong traits or characteristics or signatures,” Lyon told Fox Footy. “Clearly, their back-half ball movement, corridor about 23 per cent whatever it is, really high handball, low on contestant marks.“So they go back at you pretty quickly. But what’s underrated is their front-half game, their ability to lock it in. But we’ve done analysis on that. So out of the three sources, a lot of it’s from their forward-50 stoppage repeat and their kicking defense. Not so much their possession game, defending their possession game turnover.“So, we focus on how do we get out of there without turning it over. And then they got their their keys, obviously - (Charlie) Curnow and then (Errol) Gulden’s back, which throws another challenge with (Chad) Warner and (Isaac) Heeney, and then (Nick) Blakey off the back. There is system and some really high-end talent.”12.49pmVote: Saints or Swans today?By Have your say, footy fans.12.37pmToughest in football’: Swans on stopping Saints aceBy Sydney coach Dean Cox reckons it’s one of the toughest tasks in the AFL.Which is why curbing the influence of St Kilda ace Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera looms large in his thoughts ahead of Saturday afternoon’s Marvel Stadium fixture.Sydney will look to curb the influence of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.AFL Photos via Getty Images“One of the toughest in football,” Cox said of the challenge in stopping the Saints star.Sydney tagger James Jordon appears set for the job against the red-hot Wanganeen-Milera, who kicked four goals and gathered 46 disposals last weekend against North Melbourne.12.36pmGood afternoon and welcomeBy It has been a crisp (but now sunny) morning in Melbourne. Get set for a bumper day of Saturday AFL action.I’m Danny Russell, and I’ll be joining you early for two ripper AFL clashes - St Kilda versus Sydney at Marvel Stadium, Hawthorn versus North Melbourne in Launceston - followed by the AFLW’s showcase international match between Australia and Ireland in Sydney.Get set for some excellent entertainment ahead.1 of 1