St Kilda have 10 days to fix the ills from a first half that hadn’t been that bad in 39 years.
Coach Ross Lyon copped his share of the blame after the Saints only managed 0.5 to halftime in Thursday night’s 52-point AFL to Hawthorn.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ross Lyon quizzed on slippery Marvel Stadium surface
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It was the first time since 1987 that they had been goalless in the first half.
This season, they are yet to beat sides currently above them on the ladder and the Hawks trounced the Saints when the game was on the line.
Lyon was pleased that they rallied in the second half, only scoring two less points than Hawthorn, but the damage was done.
Their next assignment will also be tough – second-placed Sydney on Sunday week at the SCG. The Saints are also bracing for bad news on Sam Flanders, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury against the Hawks.
Lyon noted that many teams this season are having bad lapses during games.
“Hopefully that was our one and we get back on the horse and recover in 10 days. But talk’s cheap,” he said.
Lyon added there were many elements to their poor start – including how he had prepared the team.
“We wanted to attack the game, but we probably went ‘over the hill’ and it was not balanced and composed. That sits with me,” he said
“Once we balanced that back up, we were back in the game.
“This was a lack-of-team performance and coaching performance. So we’re all in it.”
The one positive for St Kilda is that Lyon was able to swing some moves and they rallied.
“We righted the ship … we’ll learn valuable lessons against absolute quality,” he said.
Lyon was also quizzed on the slippery surface at Marvel Stadium which had become a talking point throughout the game. “I’m just at roll-my-eyes stage. I don’t know, take it up with Scott Fitzgerald the CEO of Marvel Stadium,” he said.
“But both teams had to play in it.”
The deck at Marvel was in an interesting state, with corridor quite slippery and yet the wings were dry.
7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary said it was like the players are playing on almost two different surfaces at times.
Lyon: “Yeah, I’m not sure. I didn’t dive into it, I knew it was wet.”
But Lyon refused to buy into the discussion on whether that contributed to the Flanders industry.
“I’ll leave that to the sports scientists and medicos,” he said.
“I couldn’t comment, to be honest. I think it would be remiss of me and wrong of me. I’m just really trying to stay in my lane in lots of places.”
The Saints should regain star midfielder Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera from a calf injury for the Swans match.
Darcy Wilson played well, Jack Sinclair impressed off half-back and Jack Silvagni kicked three goals in the second half after he was moved from defence.
– With 7NEWS.com.au
