The miracle at Marvel

Sunday Afternoon Mayhem in Docklands brings Australia one of it’s most iconic sporting moments in history, writes Teddy Angel.

(Photo Source: ABC, James Wiltshire)

If Nasiah Wanganeen Milera wasn’t already in the conversation as a top 5 player in the AFL, then his star-studded 34 disposal, 4 goal match-winning performance on Sunday afternoon against an experienced Melbourne demon outfit proved that he is. 

The Saint Kilda Football Club just achieved something almost thought not possible: they have broken the record for the biggest 4^th quarter comeback of all time in VFL/AFL history.

In what seemed to be a game that was dead and buried at three-quarter time, a barrage of offensive prowess and pace ensued from the Saints and completely flipped the match on its head, as the young team piled 9 goals straight in the final term. 

The Saints took every opportunity to play with dash and flair (something not often associated with experienced head coach Ross Lyon). They threw caution to the wind and produced one of, if not the, greatest club wins in its 152-year history.  

Wanganeen-Milera's match-dominating performance is not just impressing footy fans, but even took Saint's club legend Nick Riewoldt by surprise.

“I haven’t seen a player take over and put himself in a position to win a game of football like Nasiah did…ever”, he said on Melbourne’s Triple M radio broadcast early Monday morning. 

But Wanganeen-Milera wasn't a solo act; in fact, the impressive turnaround might be a sign of a squad hardened by the tough lessons the St Kilda club have had to learn.

Saints forward Cooper Sharman booted 2, while young High Half Forward Max Hall had a brilliant final term as he was shifted to the midfield, with 7 disposals at 100% efficiency, 6 of them being score involvements. 

Young tagging Midfielder Marcus Windhager also got off the chain, with 6 contested disposals in the final quarter, contributing further to the Saints' dramatic win. 

But it was Windhager and Hall who brought the ball upfield in the final minute, creating the clearance which led to winger Mason Wood spearing a left-footed dart from the centre wing stoppage into the forward 50, resulting in a Wanganeen-Milera screamer. 

Nasiah Wanganeen- Milera’s high-flying ‘hanger’, double-teamed at full tilt. (Source: Herald Sun.)

And guess what the magician did? He went back and slotted it with 8 seconds on the clock to spare – equalising the score. 

But what happened next was ‘extraordinary’ - as Melbourne committed a ‘6-6-6’ violation, which resulted in a St Kilda free kick and clearance from the centre square. 

Marcus Windhager, ‘NAS’ and ruckman Rowan Marshall canvassed their plan for the forward 50 entry, while Melbourne’s experienced players looked utterly bemused and out of their depth. 

Marshall produced ‘a dime’ to NAS, completing the fairytale ending and comeback. Of course, NAS went back and kicked the goal. 

When I met Saint Kilda Ruckman Rowan Marshall two years ago at a function, I asked him who the best kick in the side was.

Coming off back-to-back All-Australian Selections in 2022 & 2023 across halfback, I was expecting the answer to be club champion ‘Jack Sinclair’.

Rowan’s answer two years ago – a 19-year-old Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera; initially shocking, now comes as no surprise to all. ‘NAS’ has (if not already) announced himself as one of the league's best, as his transition from defence to the midfield proves to be of ease to the generational talent. 

He has exploded this year as one of the best players in the competition. Despite lugging around a 6-foot-2 frame, he is one of the fastest players in the league, which proved itself on the weekend as he was double-teamed at various moments and still found the ball. 

If he’s not the most damaging player by foot in the competition, then he is sure close to it. Every kick seems to penetrate through the opposition defence, and the game opens up when he looks to kick through the corridor of the ground. 

As his contract fate continues to swell and be unclear, Nasiah will go down as a club great at St Kilda regardless of his end-of-year whereabouts. 

As an Adelaide Crows fan myself, the idea of him returning home to South Australia is extraordinarily exciting; however, it just wouldn’t feel right. 

He simply is a gift to Football fans nationwide, and a player of quality that St Kilda have deserved for some time, because it really is a gift to watch him, no matter the time and place.  

Sport is a fabulous example of writing yourself into history, and Nas’s trajectory continues to skyrocket toward the books. 

A fabulous win, and a player performance for the ages.