St Kilda edged its way into the NAB Cup semi-finals and ended Sydney's pre-season winning streak under Paul Roos at just one with a one-point win at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
In what was an arm-wrestle for most of the night, the Saints did just enough in the final term to book a date with the winner of the clash between North Melbourne and Fremantle.
Unheralded David Armitage emerged as the match-winner when, having taken a superb diving mark, his point from the forward pocket with two minutes remaining broke the deadlock.
Small forward Stephen Milne stamped his mark with three final-quarter goals on a night when Saints' superstar Nick Riewoldt was held to just one goal by Heath Grundy.
Riewoldt looked to be in for a bumper return when he had three marks in the opening six minutes but Grundy responded to the challenge well – a crucial factor with the Swans missing defensive lynchpin Craig Bolton.
The Saints welcomed back key midfielders Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes and Jason Gram, with the latter particularly impressive.
Leigh Montagna was also pivotal against a resolute Swans' midfield led by hard-nuts Jude Bolton and Brett Kirk.
The Saints threatened to rip the contest apart in the third term when they supplied the opening three goals, including a super-goal to Gram, to snatch a two-goal buffer.
But the Swans remained diligent and could have regained the lead but not for wasted opportunities.
Ruckman Mark Seaby, awarded a 50m penalty, squandered a super-goal by playing on over the mark, meaning his straight kick was awarded only the traditional six-points.
Boom forward Gary Rohan also wasted a nine-point attempt after missing a relatively easy shot on goal.
Rohan had won a free kick and 50m penalty in the third term against Brendan Goddard after he was elbowed in the head when the two clashed on the boundary along centre-wing – an incident the match review panel may scrutinize.
The Saints held a five-point break at the final change and looked to again have the win within hand when they drilled three of the four opening goals.
Yet the pesky Swans continued to counter-attack and would notch four of the next five goals to knot scores with five minutes remaining.
In a sign of things to come, the Saints pushed Goddard forward at various stages through the night.
Goddard has made his name as a defender and midfielder but the Saints are now keen for him to have stints up forward rather than necessarily resting on the bench.
If that decision needed any reassuring, it came when he won a free kick and drilled a super-goal from 55m in the second term.
For the Swans, Lewis Jetta, backing up after his headline-grabbing debut in the win over Carlton, began on the bench but his lively dashes through the middle of the ground again highlighted his promise.
Rohan, another impressive rookie, also began on the pine but, when injected into the contest, showed plenty of promise across half-forward.
The Swans were again without veteran recruit Daniel Bradshaw, who remains in doubt for Round 1 after knee surgery.
Developing ruckman Daniel Currie, who spent most of 2009 injured, was promising up forward early but faded after half-time.
ST KILDA: 2.4, 1.3.4, 2.5.5, 2.9.7 (79)
SYDNEY: 3.2, 6.4, 7.6, 12.6 (78)
SUPER GOALS: ST KILDA: Goddard, Gram,
SYDNEY:
GOALS: ST KILDA: Milne 4, Riewoldt, McEvoy, Gram, Koschitzke, Stanley
SYDNEY: Bevan 3, Jack 2, Seaby, Moore, Currie, O'Keefe, White, McGlynn, Rohan.
BEST: ST KILDA: Montagna, Jones, Milne, Gram, Hayes
SYDNEY: O'Dwyer, Bolton, Malceski, Richards
INJURIES: ST KILDA: Nil
SYDNEY: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 10,998 at ETIHAD STADIUM