Leaving out this year's runner-up, St Kilda is the only losing Grand Final team since Melbourne in 2000 to not have won a premiership during the past 13 seasons – either before or after its loss.
Both it and the Western Bulldogs (who played in three successive losing preliminary finals between 2008-2010) went close without winning the flag.
That can affect a club's drafting decisions and then, if the ultimate does not follow, its psyche and with some clubs, its financial footing.
After the Saints lost in 2009 – with good recycled players in the team such as Michael Gardiner, Steven King, Adam Schneider, Jason Gram, Sean Dempster and Zac Dawson – it tried to bring in pace trading for Brett Peake and Andrew Lovett and recruiting Adam Pattinson and Jesse Smith.
The next season, after losing to Collingwood, it was Ryan Gamble and Dean Polo through the draft.
The logic at the time was relatively sound but the outcome was bad.
No premiership came and when youngsters did not come through the list became unbalanced.
The most recent top 10 pick the Saints have had was No.9 in 2007.
It has not had a top five pick for a decade.
In recent seasons it has brought in youth, acknowledging the absence of a middle-tier but trying to hold its nerve in the meantime.
It has faced criticism for losing Brendon Goddard, Nick Dal Santo and Ben McEvoy but the lack of a flag has exacerbated that criticism.
Collingwood has lost and moved on Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas and Chris Dawes in that same time without as many eyebrows being raised.
The Western Bulldogs fell hard too before Brendan McCartney was appointed and immediately began the rebuild.
During its preliminary final era it brought in Scott Welsh, Barry Hall, Jason Akermanis and Justin Sherman - a period in which it considered itself in contention.
It invested in the now and hoped the future would look after itself.
Like the Saints it was without a top 10 draft pick between 2007 and last year when it picked both Jake Stringer and Jackson McRae inside the top 10.
Its only big loss was Brian Lake (who won a Norm Smith medal as part of the Hawks 2013 premiership triumph), although Adam Cooney appeared likely to leave earlier this season.
That he didn't is a tick for the environment the Bulldogs have created.
The Saints appear to have failed to create a similar sense among its senior players.
Of course, a premiership would have made this phase that little bit easier for fans, and those working and playing at both clubs, to endure.
And perhaps culture would have been talked about less and less.
It won't be palatable to many, particularly not Scott Watters, but a new president and soon to be new CEO, new coach and refreshed playing list means for the Saints those 'so close yet so far times' will soon be behind them.
And it can go about the business immediately of implementing the vision it has for the club.
It has already added Billy Longer, Josh Bruce, Luke Delaney and Shane Savage and a decision is yet to be made in relation to whether former Magpie Darren Jolly joins as a delisted free agent.
It also has three picks inside the top 20, including the all-important No.3 selection.
Everyone now knows – although president Peter Summers' explanation after Watters was sacked didn't help much – how the Saints got here.
With smart decisions, it should be able to get out of it too.
