ANYTHING is possible for St Kilda this season, experienced defender Nathan Brown says.

The Saints put together a blistering first half to record a 67-point win against Richmond last Saturday night and sit seventh on the ladder with a 9-6 record.

A fifth consecutive victory beckons, this time against Essendon at Etihad Stadium on Friday night. It would be the first time the club has achieved the feat since rounds 16-20 in 2011, when St Kilda last made finals.

Match preview: Essendon v St Kilda

Brown, a member of Collingwood's 2010 premiership side, said at Seaford on Wednesday there were comparisons to be made between the group he is part of now and his former teammates.

"It's similar. Young guys … starting off their AFL dream. They love going out to train every week. They don’t feel the cold weather. They don't get sore and stuff like that, and it feeds to us older guys as well. It makes us train a lot harder and push our game as well," Brown said.

"We're at a good place here at the Saints. We've got a lot to build and … the sky's the limit for us.

"It's up to the players where we want to take it."

Ruckman Billy Longer looks in doubt to come up for the game after he copped a hamstring corkie against the Tigers. Tom Hickey played four straight games in the VFL since he suffered a medial ligament strain in his left knee while playing for Sandringham in May. He was pulled out of last Sunday's VFL match as a precaution, in case Longer doesn't regain fitness off a six-day break.

The upcoming match looms as the first time key backman Jake Carlisle has faced Essendon since he was traded at the end of 2015. He missed all last year with a doping ban as part of his time with the Bombers.

Brown, 28, said Carlisle was looking forward to the upcoming clash.

"Jake's excited. It's like when I faced Collingwood earlier on in the season, you're very excited," Brown said.

"You've still got a lot of mates playing at your old club and it's good to be out there, but there's one thing - you definitely want that win against your old club."

Despite the hype and expectation surrounding St Kilda, Brown said it was too early to know which teams would have the opportunity to play in September.

"I don't think the season's settled yet. At this stage, we won't find out until mid-August, I don't think, what finals is going to map out like," he said.