WEST Coast failed to lay a single tackle inside its forward 50 in its 72-point thrashing at the hands of St Kilda, much to the frustration of interim coach Jarrad Schofield.

Schofield said the undermanned Eagles – playing without injured senior figures Elliot Yeo, Liam Duggan, Jeremy McGovern and Jake Waterman – didn't hit a single internal benchmark set pre-game, while the Saints laid 23 tackles in their own attack.

SAINTS v EAGLES Full match coverage and stats

"The numbers were really stacked against us early on. Even in the first 15 minutes of the game, trying to build the ball up from deep in our back half, there's always going to come a time when the dam wall is going to break," Schofield said.

"We probably got out of that one in the first quarter, kicking two or three by the end of it, but unfortunately today, all the things we planned for, we didn't execute. In the end, we're disappointed, especially with the second half.

"Our back six held up considering the ball was coming at times with a bit of freedom, I think they kicked five goals on return of serve. That was the disappointing thing, that the ball was coming back with interest, but the backs held in there. 

"Across the ground, defence of mids and forwards wasn't where it should be. We had some opportunities when we did go forward with the ball, to execute, and we didn't execute. But at the end of the day, I don't think we had a tackle in our forward 50, which isn't what we're chasing."

Schofield said the form of half-back flankers Reuben Ginbey and Jayden Hunt were a few bright sparks for the match, while Jack Williams kicked his second three-goal haul at AFL level.

"They're learning on the job. What we are learning is more about our list as well. There were opportunities given to players who warranted those opportunities, because they'd played some good footy in the WAFL, and we wanted to see that," he said.

"Reuben Ginbey, the last two weeks he's gone to half-back – we had to put him in the midfield (late) because we needed to change something – and I think what we've seen at half-back is that he's grown another leg. 

"He's got some run and carry, he's got a great vertical jump – sometimes he's jumping too high, and if he can just pluck a few of those balls, there's another five or six opportunities to impact the game.

"Probably the other one is Jayden Hunt, a guy who's played over 100 AFL games, and he probably had one of his best games in a long time."

Schofield said he was expecting Yeo (soreness) and Waterman (knee) to return next week to face Fremantle in the Western Derby.

St Kilda recruit Liam Henry will need scans to determine the extent of his knee injury, suffered in the third quarter while he was being tackled. He was subbed out, finishing the game on crutches after he was unable to bear weight while leaving the field.

"I'm not really across it. He's OK, but we're not really sure," Saints coach Ross Lyon said.

"There's no ACL, there's no ligament (damage), so what is it? Is it a kneecap, a bit of cartilage? But we're better off just investigating and taking it from there."

Sitting 15th with seven wins and 11 losses, the Saints' finals hopes are all but extinguished. Lyon – who was particularly pleased with his midfielders' work against the Eagles – initially wouldn't be drawn on talks of shaping the eight in the backend of their season, but couldn't help himself in the end.

"It's not a mentality that drives us. We really want to set standards, lay foundations. It's very even. Ifs and buts and maybes with a lot of games. But we just want to play good football," Lyon said.

"Every week, it's such a big battle, AFL football. The top of the League ladder, you go to Adelaide and it's tough, it's a very tough business. 

"There's wild gyrations that sit outside in the media, and that's great, because everyone listens, but we just sit in the continuous improvement space, pursue excellence in the near term and the long term with a list build and internal structures and personnel, and weekly, our footy. 

"That's where we sit, to be honest, but if we can spoil a couple of parties – I like being The Grinch."