ST KILDA coach Scott Watters refused to focus on isolated incidents late in Sunday night's game against West Coast that cost the Saints victory.
He preferred to emphasise the courageous running from veteran Leigh Montagna that put him into a position to have a shot for goal late in the game that could have sealed a St Kilda win.
Montagna had the chance to handball to Nick Riewoldt or Stephen Milne in the goalsquare late in the game but chose to have a shot from about 10m out, and missed.
And Watters said Beau Maister's work rate throughout the game had been so admirable that his stumble when chasing Eric Mackenzie towards goal was probably because he had nothing left to give.
Maister tripped when losing ground in a foot race with Mackenzie and the Eagle ran into an open goal to kick the matchwinner.
Both were critical incidents that played significant roles in determining the result.
"I'm not going to highlight instances of players who absolutely put it all on the line," Watters said.
After describing the positive aspects of both players' games, Watters said he thought both had been admirable.
He also showed great restraint in not criticising the umpires, who awarded some critical and questionable free kicks to the Eagles late in the game that led to goals.
It would have been an easy route to go down but he chose not to.
It was a good performance from the coach, whose dejected look was, he said, because of the disappointment he felt for his players rather than any disillusionment with their efforts.
He had watched individuals dig deep into their reserves to hang on to a lead that the team worked hard to establish.
A pragmatic-sounding Watters admitted such losses were hard to swallow but added he was very proud of all his players.
The Saints coach saw enough good signs for the future to soften the blow.
He also said the Saints were focused on the boring reality of attempting to get better at playing the way they wanted to play.
And Sunday's game was a sign the side was learning what was required.
"There aren't going to be knee-jerk reactions to a win or a loss," Watters said. "It's much broader than that for us, so again it's how we want to play.
"There are going to be some losses along the way, bumps and bruises, poor quarters, times when players are flat, all of that, that is part of growth, so the hysteria that surrounds that from a media perspective – it does not even enter my mind."
He said he loved the way his team played for most of the game and indicated that the youth of the midfield meant the Saints simply ran out of legs in the last quarter.
The Saints managed 60 disposals in the last quarter to the Eagles' 82.
"In the time that I have coached us over 18 months, they [the team] have been fantastic as far as being very competitive and really putting it on the line most weeks," Watters said.
"We're not perfect yet. We know that they gave fantastic effort tonight."
He said the team looked good with Rhys Stanley in front of the ball and as an option to be used in tandem with ruckman Ben McEvoy. He said the chance to put youngsters such as Jack Newnes, Sebastian Ross, Josh Saunders and Jimmy Webster through the midfield when the game was at its hottest was invaluable.
He also indicated pre-match that the leaders had stood back during the review and let the younger players take a lead.
With the Saints competitive in all but one game this season, St Kilda remains a side worth watching and Watters is clearly having an impact.
If anything, Sunday's performance was an indication that the players believe in the direction he is setting.
"I have got a very clear picture, when we assemble all the right parts, of how this side can look and we will keep going towards that," Watters said.
