“What St Kilda should do is make sure they focus on their own backyard instead of trying to bring everyone else down.”
Hardwick also fired a shot at St Kilda, pointing out the low attendance figure of 13,486.
Touk Miller was characteristically busy against St Kilda. Credit: Getty Images
It was the Saints’ smallest crowd at Marvel Stadium and lowest attendance at a home game in Melbourne since 2002.
“They had 13,000 people here today,” Hardwick said.
“We’ll just focus on Gold Coast and they should focus on themselves.”
Lyon wasn’t overly concerned about the low attendance figure, putting it down to several factors.
The Suns had a win, but Mac Andrew was a casualty. Credit: Getty Images
“I don’t think it’s my brief, but timeslot, interstate (opponent), low membership/following, expansion club, our performance against West Coast the week before – I think it all goes into the melting pot,” Lyon said.
SEN radio reported on Sunday night that Lyon’s comments prompted a confrontation between the CEOs of the two clubs – Mark Evans (Gold Coast) and Carl Dilena (St Kilda).
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera’s fine form continued for St Kilda. Credit: Getty Images
“I thought the comments were offensive and out of line,” Evans told SEN.
“If there is any club in the world that might have an understanding that progress isn’t always linear that would be St Kilda.”
Hardwick entered the contest with a horror 1-9-1 record as a coach at Marvel Stadium since his infamous declaration – when in charge of Richmond four years ago – that he hated playing there.
But Suns captain Noah Anderson (36 disposals, 11 clearances) and former skipper Touk Miller (30 touches, one goal) helped en
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