Goalsneak Stephen Milne booted seven goals to inspire St Kilda to a nail-biting three-point win over a spirited Richmond in a see-sawing battle at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

Tiger young gun Jack Riewoldt - cousin of St Kilda star Nick - had the chance to win the match after the final siren but his set shot from just outside 50 fell short by metres as the Saints held on to win 17.8 (110) to 16.11 (107).

The victory sees St Kilda jump into the top eight, while for the Tigers it was another week of heartbreak after drawing with the Western Bulldogs a fortnight ago and losing by 12 points to Hawthorn last week.

Milne, who had kicked only 11 goals for the season, was brilliant all night as he bagged his best haul since a career-best 11 against Brisbane in Round 22, 2005.

His performance was vital for the Saints with Fraser Gehrig held to just one goal on his return to the side by Luke McGuane while Justin Koschitzke was kept scoreless.

Nick Dal Santo (27 disposals) and the tireless Robert Harvey (26) gave the Saints plenty of drive out of the middle as they pulled back an 11-point deficit at half-time to shrug off a gallant Richmond side in the final term.

But the victory could come at a massive cost with Nick Riewoldt limping off early in the third quarter with what appeared to be a knee injury. He did not return and is now in some doubt for next week's Hall of Fame match.

Tiger spearhead Matthew Richardson put in another blinder with 22 touches, 13 marks and five goals, while Nathan Brown racked up 29 disposals and booted two goals.

Ruckman Troy Simmonds was the catalyst for a number of centre clearances with 20 possessions and 32 hitouts.

But it was Richmond's youngsters who were, perhaps, most impressive with Jack Riewoldt showing he would be a star of the future in the forward half, Shane Edwards giving the Saints' defenders the run-around and Matthew White also performing well through the middle.

Both teams traded goals during a topsy-turvy first half. St Kilda started brightly to take a 15-point lead at the 22-minute mark of the first term before the Tigers hit back with two late goals to draw within three points at quarter-time.

Richmond hit the front for the first time when Simmonds goaled early in the second quarter before holding on for a handy buffer at the main break.

Trailing by just one-point at the final change, St Kilda booted three of the first four goals of the last term and looked like running over the top of a tiring Richmond.

After again trading goals, Milne's seventh at the 23-minute mark put the Saints ahead by one point before Riewoldt's last-gasp kick fell short.

RICHMOND: 4.1, 9.4, 13.8, 16.11 (107)
ST KILDA: 4.4, 7.5, 13.7, 17.8 (110)

GOALS: Richmond: Richardson 5, Brown 2, Simmonds 2, Edwards 2, Morton 2, White 2, J Riewoldt
St Kilda: Milne 7, Harvey 2, C Gardiner 2, N Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Armitage, Schneider, Birss, Gehrig
BEST: Richmond: Richardson, Brown, Simmonds, Newman, Johnson, Deledio
St Kilda: Milne, Dal Santo, Harvey, Ball, S Fisher, Schneider
INJURIES: Richmond: Nil
St Kilda: N Riewoldt (knee)
REPORTS: Koschitzke (St Kilda) reported for striking Simmonds
CHANGES: Polak replaced in Richmond's selected side by Jackson; Hudghton replaced in St Kilda's selected side by R Clarke
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Wenn, Keating
CROWD: 40,585 at Telstra Dome

Sportal AFL Player of the Year votes:
3. Stephen Milne (St Kilda)
2. Matthew Richardson (Richmond)
1. Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda)