St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has challenged his group to shut the hole on the AFL’s high 4 after attaining a “nice little milestone” in snaring a finals berth.
The Saints have been extensively tipped to battle this 12 months amidst an early-season damage disaster, however Lyon helped his group to buck the percentages and lock in a top-eight spot.
St Kilda (52 factors) head into the ultimate spherical in sixth and can host an elimination last if they will preserve seventh-placed Sydney (50 factors) and eighth-placed GWS (48 factors) under them.
The Saints tackle Brisbane on the Gabba on Saturday, whereas Sydney host Melbourne on the SCG on Sunday and GWS are away to Carlton later that day.
St Kilda have didn’t beat Collingwood, Port Adelaide, Brisbane or Melbourne this 12 months – all sides that may end within the high 4.
But they will buck that development in opposition to the Lions this weekend and Lyon needs to see his group take it as much as the premiership fancies.
“That top four has put a gap on the rest of the competition, so we’re trying to bridge the gap this week,” Lyon informed reporters on Thursday.
“(Brisbane) looked pretty impressive on Friday night against the Pies. They’re potentially a great team, they’ve got a lot of talent.
“But my boys work actually exhausting and we have got a very good system, so we’ll see the place it takes us.”
The Saints last played finals in 2020. The previous time before that was 2011, when they were still being coached by Lyon in his first stint at the club.
Lyon is happy to be back in the finals but he knows the real action is yet to begin.
“It’s a pleasant little milestone. It’s an goal of all of the golf equipment,” Lyon mentioned.
“It’s not the best bar, but it surely’s a begin.
“It’s where everyone wants to be, but we’ve achieved nothing except get through qualifying.”
Seb Ross will miss the conflict with Brisbane resulting from a hamstring pressure, however Lyon is optimistic the midfielder can be match to return for the beginning of the finals.
Brisbane will safe second spot and a assured two house finals if they will beat St Kilda.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
