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AAP
AAP
Steve Larkin

Saints coach calls out oval phone system after damage

Coach Ross Lyon damaged a phone during St Kilda's loss to the Crows at the Adelaide Oval. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS)

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon wants Adelaide Oval to upgrade communications after twice damaging a telephone in a 32-point loss to Adelaide.

Lyon's phone connecting the box to his interchange bench twice fell apart during Saturday night's loss.

In both cases, Lyon struck the phone on a desk in frustration.

"I have whacked some phones harder than that - it just fell apart," Lyon said.

"How about you invest some infrastructure in the stadium. You have got everything but a decent phone system," he said with a half-smile.

The phone flashpoints came as the Saints could muster just two goals after quarter-time against the Crows, who won 10.11 (71) to 5.9 (39) in a rain-marred match.

St Kilda made the early running with three goals to two in the opening term before Adelaide responded in a fashion that pleased coach Matthew Nicks.

"To be under pressure and turn it around, that was a really good growth game for us," Nicks said.

"It's an area that we haven't been able to do as well as we'd have liked to."

Adelaide led by eight points at three quarter-time before steaming to victory with 4.1 to 0.1 in the final term.

Riley Thilthorpe booted two of the those last-quarter goals in his first AFL game this season after suffering a knee injury in March.

Thilthorpe, who was substituted on during the third term, was mobbed by teammates after his first conversion.

"It was nice to see Riley come back and impact the game," Nicks said.

"He's still got a long way to go ... but it was great to get him amongst the group, I think you saw the passion and the feeling the group have had.

"When our guys go through a tough time like any player does with an injury, it was nice to see the group get around him and celebrate."

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