Turning Point
Just five points separated the teams midway through the second term and the Hawks were starting to look dangerous. Again pushing forward, Stephen Gilham lined up for a shot from just on 50m but Lance Franklin, who was relatively quiet to that point, inexplicably pushed Hudghton to the ground and gave up a free kick. The ball was rushed down to the other end, where it ended up in the hands of Nick Riewoldt, who kicked truly from the boundary line to extend the margin.

Star Man
St Kilda co-captain Luke Ball was back to his best after a well-documented case of osteitis pubis. The 23-year-old, who struggled with the condition all through last season, had a dream 100th AFL match with 31 possessions and 11 marks, and capped off his good work with three goals. Saints coach Ross Lyon again moved to clarify Ball's situation post-match, saying he was not injured and was simply starting to play better football.

Unsung Hero
Sam Fisher's run out of the backline is one of the main reasons for St Kilda's late surge up the ladder. After picking up 30 disposals against Adelaide and Collingwood over the past two weeks, the 25-year-old racked up another 24 touches against Hawthorn to be among his team's best players. Fisher also took 13 marks and put the ball inside 50m on five occasions in a true all-round effort.

Absolute Shocker
Unlike Ball, Max Hudghton wasn't having the greatest of nights in his 200th appearance for the Saints. The veteran defender failed to get a touch in the first quarter and only finished with 12 possessions, but it was his blunder in the second quarter that threatened to derail his milestone game. Having taken a mark deep in the backline, Hudghton mysteriously tried to pass off to Shane Birss, who had made space in the goal square, but the kick floated too high and allowed Ben Dixon to float in for an easy mark. Dixon converted from straight in front to add insult to injury.