According to the coaches, Ben Cunnington and Nick Riewoldt couldn’t be split for best-on-ground last Sunday.

Cunnington had 26 disposals (14 contested) and seven clearances in just 68 per cent game time.

Meanwhile Riewoldt had 24 disposals, 16 marks and three goals. Each coach gave the players a ‘five’ and a ‘four’ – the votes being given in a 5-4-3-2-1 format.

After missing out on coaches’ votes for the first time this season against the Bulldogs, Jack Ziebell ensured his absence was for the shortest possible time.

He was back against the Saints with five votes for his 28 disposals. It took the vice-captain to 28 votes on the season, which has him in ninth place on the overall leaderboard. But there’s still one Roo in front of him.

Todd Goldstein received four votes for winning the ruck battle against Tom Hickey. It means the ruckman is now on 34, just five behind joint leaders Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood, and currently fifth overall.

Votes: St Kilda v North Melbourne

9 – Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne)
9 – Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
5 – Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne)
4 – Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)
2 – Sam Gilbert (St Kilda)
1 – Leigh Montagna (St Kilda)

AFLCA leaderboard

39 – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
39 – Joel Selwood (Geelong)
36 – Tom Lynch (Gold Coast)
36 – Jack Viney (Melbourne)
34 – Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)
34 – Luke Parker (Sydney)
28 – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
28 – Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne)
26 – Lance Franklin (Sydney)
26 – Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)

North Melbourne leaderboard

34 – Todd Goldstein (five games polled)
28 – Jack Ziebell (six games polled)
24 – Jarrad Waite (four games polled)
14 – Ben Cunnington (two games polled)
11 – Daniel Wells (two games polled)