The 17.13 (115) to 10.12 (72) win over Essendon in Ballarat may have just been a pre-season match, but Wanganeen-Milera looked a class above, kicking four goals – including three in the first half – while playing predominantly in the midfield, also racking up 28 disposals and 805 metres gained. 

Fellow recruit Tom De Koning had a harder day in the Ballarat humidity, battling against an impressive Lachie Blakiston in the ruck, while local boy Rowan Marshall played predominantly up forward after requesting a trade to Geelong during the off-season.

After a tumultuous off-season where he wanted a trade to Hawthorn, former Essendon captain Zach Merrett spent plenty of time forward, while young Bombers forward Nate Caddy showed his skills both in the air and at ground level, crumbing and snapping truly through traffic to get the Bombers' second goal of the game.

After losing Brad Hill to illness before the game, the Saints lost another in the first quarter with new co-captain and defensive pillar Callum Wilkie ruled out with a calf cork, which stretched the Saints' backline in the first half. Kyle Langford and Peter Wright capitalised, with the latter also rotating through the ruck.  

Zak Johnson impressed early with his foot skills, while Archie Roberts got plenty of the footy throughout the contest.

An even contest early gave way after the main change, with the Saints pulling ahead and finding multiple avenues to goal.

For the Bombers, Hussien El Achkar was busy, kicking a nice goal in the second quarter, while Brayden Fiorini covered plenty of ground on the wing and popped up for a goal.  Jacob Farrow had 11 touches in the backline, while Dyson Sharp got 14.

Round one chance
One of the Bombers' top draft picks, Sharp had plenty of run and gun and should be in the frame for a round one berth. Expect Fiorini to slot straight into a role on the wing, while Johnson's elite delivery was on full show in the slippery conditions in Ballarat. Jayden Nguyen had his work cut out for him against St Kilda goalsneak Jack Higgins but battled well, while Hussien El Achkar's attack on the contest was admirable. 

ST KILDA              4.4     7.8     12.10     17.13 (115)
ESSENDON           3.3     6.6      8.10       10.12 (72)

GOALS
St Kilda: Wanganeen-Milera 4, Higgins 3, Marshall 2, Owens 2, Stocker, Macrae, Garcia, Sharman, Ryan, Banfield
Essendon: Wright 2, Langford 2, May 2, Caddy, El Achkar, Clarke, Fiorini

BEST
St Kilda: Wanganeen-Milera, Windhager, Sinclair, Boxshall, Ryan
Essendon: Roberts, Blakiston, Johnson, Langford, Fiorini

INJURIES
St Kilda: Hill (illness), Wilkie (corked calf), Byrnes (ankle)
Essendon: Nil