ST KILDA'S response to a disastrous 88-point loss to Adelaide last weekend in Sunday's game against Carlton was particularly gratifying for coach Alan Richardson.
A key focus from last Sunday's game was a lack of pressure around the ball and the team's review during the week was based on how the Saints would rectify that.
Richardson's team harassed and pressured the Blues into mistake after mistake, out tackling them 70-43 to notch a well-deserved 32-point win at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
"To respond to what happened last week, which was so poor … that was our want, to get after the opposition and put them under pressure," Richardson said when asked what was the most pleasing aspect of the victory.
Click here for Alan Richardson's full media conference
"Particularly in the second quarter, whilst the margin was created in the third, our ability to hunt and also defend really strongly from a team perspective (was pleasing). To see us come forward and be bold in the way we defended was the most positive thing.
"We got some really good offensive opportunities out of that, but that was the area that we really wanted to address, it was the area that we'd focussed on, so that was most positive."
The Saints have been pummelled twice interstate this season, thrashed by West Coast (103 points) and the Crows (88 points), and both times they have responded with wins over Essendon and now Carlton.
"The reality is that we're still too inconsistent," Richardson said.
"For big parts of the season we've been strong, we've been knocked off our way twice now interstate.
"I reckon we've got to the bottom of that in identifying 'the what', and I reckon we're getting there in terms of 'the why' and what we need to do and how we need to respond. because when you play against good teams they're going to get run-ons.
"We need to commit to playing our way and that's been our challenge.
"That's where the inconsistency has come in our performance. I was pleased today, early in the game … the Blues got two or three in a row and we were able to respond positively."
Five talking points: St Kilda v Carlton
Richardson was particularly pleased with the contributions of his young players, especially with experienced trio Nick Riewoldt, Sam Fisher and Sean Dempster out of the side.
Tim Membrey bobbed up with five goals, Tom Hickey smashed Matthew Kreuzer in the ruck and Seb Ross took the points in his match up against in-form Blue Bryce Gibbs.
The only downside for St Kilda in the big win was a left knee injury to Tom Lee.
He left the field in the third term but could not re-enter the fray after a fitness test at three-quarter time.
"We'll have to wait on Tommy," Richardson said.
"He's given his knee a bit of a tweak. If we were playing next week, he'd be in doubt."
