ST KILDA 0.4.1 1.7.5 1.11.9 1.15.12 (111)
RICHMOND 0.3.2 0.4.4 2.6.7 2.7.11 (71)
Goals: St Kilda: Nine-point goals: L Montagna. Goals: F Gehrig 3 S Milne 3 J Koschitzke 2 J Allen 2 R Eddy X Clarke D Armitage S Birss C Gardiner. Richmond: Nine-point goals: G Tivendale C Newman. Goals: B Deledio 2 N Brown 2 M Richardson K Pettifer M Morton. Best: St Kilda: N Dal Santo L Montagna J Koschitzke X Clarke C Gardiner S Fisher C Jones. Richmond: N Foley C Newman J King N Brown M Richardson.
Umpires: D Goldspink H Kennedy T Keating J Armstrong.
Crowd: 23,329 at Telstra Dome.

FORMER West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner last night finally took a sound step towards his AFL revival with St Kilda, but Saints coach Ross Lyon later warned against prematurely declaring that his big man was back.

Gardiner teamed with Geelong premiership ruckman Steven King to form a formidable ruck team in a comprehensive 40-point victory over a disappointing Richmond in their opening NAB Cup match at Telstra Dome.

Gardiner moved freely after the match, his first official AFL game since round 15 for the Eagles against Sydney in 2006, and said he had got through the match unscathed after a treacherous run of knee, feet and hamstring injuries. The former All-Australian ruckman was able to do what he hasn't been able to do for the best part of the past five years … play.

Although he clearly lacked his old touch, timing and influence, some of his ruck tap work was still promising. "It was nice to see King and Gardiner play in the ruck and continue to build on their summer program, but one swallow doesn't make a summer does it?" Lyon said.

"It's doesn't matter whatever player it is at your club, you've got genuine care and interest in them and you want them to do well. You see how really heartbroken they are when they've got a long-term injury … but to see them fight back and to see them when they start to open up a little bit is obviously a nice aspect to it."

In a pre-match surprise, TAB Sportsbet punters had plunged into Richmond to win its opening NAB Cup match, backing it in from $2.30 on Thursday into a runaway $1.50 favourite before the bounce.

But aside from the odd burst — and an absolute screamer of a third-quarter mark by defender Kelvin Moore — the Tigers never really looked on the money. St Kilda revealed on Thursday that it would be without star forward Nick Riewoldt, who was to rest some knee tendonitis for a fortnight, and gritty tagger Stephen Baker, who will miss only the next week of full training with an ankle injury.

But discarded Geelong forward Charlie Gardiner provided a sound lead-up replacement for Riewoldt and any Saints team that is afforded space in the attacking 50-metre zone for twin towers Fraser Gehrig and Justin Koschitzke, with Steven Milne snapping at their feet, is going to be a good one.

The opening in general was marred, albeit predictably under the season's first test of pressure, by shabby disposal from both sides and it was only St Kilda's superior conviction that had it skipping to an 18-point lead. The speed of Xavier Clarke and Clint Jones was often overwhelming for the Tigers, who took in a side far closer to their best than the Saints, making the loss an even more bitter blow.

But coach Terry Wallace refused to admit the defeat had dented his optimism for 2008. He said he still had a fit team at his disposal with Mark Coughlan, Will Thursfield, Luke McGuane and Dean Polo to soon return from injury.