CHRIS Scott has bristled at suggestions Geelong was ambushed in a three-point defeat against St Kilda, with the Cats coach refusing to blame his player's mindset for another shock loss to a team outside the top eight.

The Cats were rattled early on Saturday night by the Saints’ ferocious attack on the contest, which set the tone for an enthralling battle between two sides occupying vastly different spots on the ladder.

Five talking points: St Kilda v Geelong 

St Kilda laid 21 tackles to 13 in the opening term and finished the match ahead 63-50, with the Saints' pressure rushing Geelong into a litany of errors which Scott said had nothing to do with his side's mindset. 

"No, no, we were ready. Our preparation was good, we didn't play very well early," Scott said.

WATCH: Chris Scott's full post-match press conference

"Their pressure was really good."

The loss was extremely costly for the Cats, who have coughed up top spot on the ladder to the Sydney Swans, and Scott's side is now stuck back in the mix of five teams on 10 wins ahead of the bye. 

The Cats have an imposing 6-1 record against fellow top eight sides, but losses to Carlton, Collingwood and now the Saints are a mounting concern for the coach. 

"For sure, but it's better to beat the top teams than the ones that might not be there in September," Scott said.

"I'm not saying I'm happy with it, but you take what you can sometimes."

While some of Geelong's mistakes with the ball against the Saints were inexplicable, Scott believed it showed just how tight the competition is when the 12th-placed team can overcome the ladder leaders.

"I think it just shows us that we've got work to do," he said.

"I bristled a little bit (at a question about his players' mindset) because we did the preparation and we were ready.

"What it shows to me more than our mindset is that the comp's tight. It's dangerous to look at the ladder and assume things should be OK."

While Scott wouldn't comment on an incident involving Patrick Dangerfield in the third term when the star Cat kneed Jarryn Geary in the head, he was full of praise for skipper Joel Selwood after an inspirational second half.

Selwood (29 disposals) might have pulled off the match-winning play when he punched the ball forward from a two-on-one marking contest on the wing, resulting in a goal to Steven Motlop which put Geelong up by nine points, but the Saints wouldn't be denied.

"There were a couple of really good moments (for Selwood), weren't there?" Scott said. 

"The Saints had their moments as well, but there was one in particular when the ball was going to a one-v-two with Selwood and he got a fist up. 

"That sort of stuff is what we've come to expect from him. When the game was on the line, he was pushing as hard as he could."

While the Cats' top four hopes were dented by Saturday night's defeat, they emerged unscathed on the injury front and now have a long break before facing the Sydney Swans in a blockbuster Friday night clash at Simonds Stadium on July 8.