What did you make of that Ross?
I thought we were up and down. I thought the first quarter was terrible. Really pleased with our second and third quarter. It shows what we can do. Our midfield got to work, we pressured and got them in the contest and then made some fundamental errors early in the last quarter to really lift their spirits. Like a couple of kicks out on the full.
 
They cleared a few out of the middle where we had been really good all day. The move of (Nick) Riewoldt to the high forward and releasing back probably did a bit of damage. Maybe we could have reacted to that earlier but we should have handled that.

I thought (David) Armitage and (Jack) Steven lifted in the last quarter for them, so I thought it was probably a combination. I thought it started in the last quarter with the skill errors out of defence, which is just feedback we need to improve.

So, really pleased with the second and third quarter, really concerned about the first. I thought we still really tried in the last but when you have a start like we did, to get back into the game and edge in front, it takes a fair bit out of you. Then if you make those fundamental errors and they bring their crowd into it, hope disappears a little bit. I thought if (Matthew) Taberner had kicked that goal we would have been 11 points. It just wasn’t to be.
 
What concerned you most about the start?
Well the obvious thing… There was nothing special to be honest. All divisions were down. We weren’t hunting the ball and tackling. So we got them in a circle at quarter time and put them in their divisions and just said we’re not accepting it as a football club.

We’ll look at our prep. They sit around in the hotel room and normally on a night game we will have a meeting on the day of the game just to spark them up but because it’s that twilight/ weird time we still kept it in the morning. So it’s probably too long to their own devices with some youth in. We just said we are not accepting it.

We just compared the tackles. Armitage had six and as a team we had nine. It was pretty simple messages and I thought from there we really responded.  I thought we really played quite well in the second and third quarters.

I thought we probably could have capitalised a bit more in the third quarter when we had that dominance. But there were some really good signs. Finally we moved the ball how we wanted to, but that fell away in the last.
 
You mentioned character in your quarter time interview with Fox Footy… is that one of the most frustrating moments you have had?
I don’t think I am frustrated, I just think my job is to align the team to what we want to stand for as a team and a club. I really respect our supporters. Which I think we have really done all year. Probably Richmond there was a couple of quarters (where we didn’t do that).
 
So it’s my job to align us, its not a level of frustration it’s a level of accountability and alignment and leading. They were a young group under pressure and I think the Saints are pretty much at full whack, bar one or two.

So we had a young midfield and we need to dig in here so it just gives us some things to focus on. Clearly some right things were mentioned and clearly they listened and they got into action and we got back into the game and we were hitting the front. I think we were in front by 13-points at three quarter time.

Talking points after St Kilda loss
 
So you didn’t get the win, but there are some positive signs?
Yes, we brought in a little bit more experience and character just out of necessity as the injury list is getting longer. Connor Blakely, as he gets his strength and his run… You know Armitage was there in my first year (at StKilda) and its taken him a long time and Steven’s was there in my second year I think. So it takes you a long time to become an elite AFL mid but that exposure to those sort of guys and other teams obviously for Blakely, the character, the work ethic and how consistent you have to be with that is really going to help him.

Ed Langdon and (Lachie) Weller are showing some real signs in patches. As they go down the path and they keep investing in their footy they should get better and then if we look forward we would like to complement them with the midfield of Fyfe, Bennell, Mundy and Sandilands.  It would be pretty strong I would think. In saying that, we are still building but it’s great experience for those guys.

You brought Barlow back, what did you make of his performance?
I thought he was solid. We didn’t utilise him enough in the first quarter but I thought his second and third quarters were strong.
 
What did you make of Matthew Pavlich today – it wasn’t one of his best games?
At least he tackled in the first quarter. It’s a difficult task. I think he is really supporting and leading. So when Matthew, and the club, decided to play (on) we never knew what the future held but we did know Matthew would prepare and play really well.

I think he looked dangerous a little bit at times. Sometimes a rub of the green doesn’t go your way but if he doesn’t play (Sam) Fisher is on Taberner. I thought Taberner looked really dangerous once he played deeper, he looked quite good. If Matthew’s not playing, Taberner’s got Fisher and Fisher’s a pretty good player so it’s just spreading the load a little bit.

I am really pleased with Matthew’s year. I think other people see it different but the intangibles and the leadership is fantastic.
 
How did you go injury wise?
Pretty good, I think there was a few knocks and bruises but nothing dramatic. We have had a bit of a run lately. But nothing dramatic that I am aware of.