The Saints are 0-2 in Wellington after losing to the Sydney Swans on Anzac Day last year and the Brisbane Lions on Friday night in a three-point thriller.

 

There were still queues to get Nick Riewoldt's signature at the Basin Reserve on Saturday morning and plenty of interest in the KiwiKick drills, which is New Zealand's Auskick equivalent.

 

But after being roared home by a pro-St Kilda crowd, defender James Gwilt said it was disappointing the team couldn't snare four points at its second home.

 

"We obviously haven't won here in two years, so it would have been good to get the win," Gwilt said. 

 

"We've been here since Tuesday and the feeling around town has been really good.

 

"We probably didn't help ourselves by playing a poor first half.

 

"It was good by us to crawl our way back in the second half but (it's) sill disappointing."

 

The Saints did have chances to snatch the four points. Senior midfielder Farren Ray missed a regulation running shot at goal with 80 seconds left that could have won the game, while Shane Savage gave away a 50m penalty in the dying seconds that put the match out of reach.

 

Gwilt said coach Alan Richardson didn't make a point of highlighting those incidents post-match, with the players' effort in the first half of more concern.

 

"He just said to Farren, 'Don't be too disappointed in that one specific thing' because he didn't mean to miss it obviously," Gwilt said.  

 

"Brisbane came to play and full credit to them – they outworked us in the first half and we had to try and crawl our way back in the second half.

 

"We pride ourselves on the contested ball and the tackles as part of the effort but Brisbane were all over us in contested ball in the first half."

 

Young Saint Eli Templeton will fly back with the team on Saturday afternoon and consult a surgeon next week after breaking his left arm above the elbow against the Lions.

 

There are no injury concerns with captain Riewoldt after he appeared concerned with his troublesome knee during the match.

 

"He's got that usual sort of thing going on with his knee but he's a pro and he manages it the best he can," Gwilt said.  

 

"He fought back in the second half and he was really good."