ST KILDA'S breach of the starting positions rule at the final centre bounce of Sunday's thriller against Fremantle was the result of a "brain fade" and not a deliberate tactic, according to coach Alan Richardson.
After kicking two quick goals, the Saints trailed by five points with eight seconds to play at Optus Stadium and were caught with a seventh player in their forward 50 as players re-set for the centre bounce.
The breach was picked up by umpires, who forced the Saints to restructure before throwing the ball up, with Fremantle winning the clearance and holding on for its second win of the season.
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Asked if the Saints had tried to get away with stationing an extra player forward knowing it would only result in a warning, Richardson said: "No, we know that there's umpires at either end and that's their job to adjudicate.
"There was a period before that where Freo put a player back to try and protect their lead and our message to one of the defenders was to go down and play as a forward.
"He basically had a bit of a brain fade and stayed there really. He just missed that you have to re-set at a centre bounce."
Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury this week warned that clubs would look to exploit the 6-6-6 rule when it suited them to have an extra player in attack or defence, knowing that a first breach would not result in a free kick.
Richmond was the first club to break the starting positions rule in its loss to Collingwood in round two, prompting Pendlebury's warning on the Jock and Journo podcast.
WATCH Alan Richardson's full post-match press conference
Asked if his players could have organised to have the extra forward without direction from the coaches' box, Richardson said: "No, you won't get away with it.
"There's an umpire and that's his job is to look and make sure there's six of us and six of the opposition at both ends.
"You'll never get away with it. That was just a blue by us."
The Saints missed a golden opportunity to go 3-0 for the first time since 2010 on Sunday, with Richardson lamenting a lack of effort early and a lack of care with the football late in the game.
"We gave ourselves [the]opportunity, but I thought we were quite wasteful with the footy late when we were getting back on top," the coach said.
"We spoke about our inability to get any quality rebound going, and full credit to Freo – that first quarter in particular we couldn't get out of there and they got entry after entry."
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Richardson was hopeful midfielder Jack Steven would be available to take on Hawthorn next week after being managed on Sunday, providing a crucial injection of line-breaking speed.
"When it's time for us to play with a bit more dare and Jack is one of those players," Richardson said.
"He makes us better. There's no doubt about that, and we're hopeful he'll be right to go this week."
The coach was encouraged by the progression of half-forward Jack Billings, who pushed into the midfield for 32 possessions, six inside 50s and two goals, continuing an excellent run of form.
"Jack is reaping the rewards of his hard work," Richardson said.
"He had a significant pre-season and he's moving into that age demographic in games played that we need him to have an influence on the game, and he is.
"He's really building his career and he's heading the right way."
