TonyK
CibbuanoOne of our best: Lyon
August 18th 2008 03:50
ST KILDA's 43-point win over Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday was one of its best four quarter performances of the season, according to coach Ross Lyon.
The Saints moved back into the top eight as a result of their win against the Dockers but Lyon said his side was no certainty to feature in September action.
"You can't win finals and play in them until you're in them and we're clearly not in them," said Lyon.
"(But) it's probably our best four quarter performance today. We felt we hadn't really played four quarters all year, so that's the aim for the group to improve our consistency within games."
It was a must-win match for the Saints given Richmond's win over Hawthorn earlier in the day which saw the Tigers move to within two points of St Kilda, who were in ninth position behind Brisbane at the time.
With tough games against Adelaide and Essendon to finish the home-and-away season, a win against the Dockers was vital.
However, the Saints looked in trouble when Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich kicked his second major of the second term to give his side a 16-point lead at the 12-minute mark.
But St Kilda responded with two goals to close to within four points at the main break before taking control in the second half, piling on 11 goals to two.
Lyon said he was pleased his side stuck to the basics.
"We were strong in the contest most of the day. We thought, we didn't take our opportunities in the first quarter and created a couple of turnover goals which we did the week before," he said.
"But, we just persisted and persevered until, the wait of numbers swung our way."
Lyon also said was pleased with how his side focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about what the result meant for their finals chances.
"(At half-time) we just spoke about ... what we did well, where we need to improve," Lyon said.
"If you look at results, once you start looking at results and then expectation comes, then you lose focus and then you lose, so we focused on the job at hand."
Lyon added that the club would continue taking it one match at a time rather than worry about gaining momentum going into the finals.
"What's momentum?" Lyon asked. "Everyone talks about momentum and gee whiz, we've won one and we've lost (one)."
"If you look at the whole package, it's six of our last eight (but) there were two losses we weren't thrilled with," he said.
"(Today) we just get some confidence back that we are a reasonable team."
The Saints moved back into the top eight as a result of their win against the Dockers but Lyon said his side was no certainty to feature in September action.
"You can't win finals and play in them until you're in them and we're clearly not in them," said Lyon.
"(But) it's probably our best four quarter performance today. We felt we hadn't really played four quarters all year, so that's the aim for the group to improve our consistency within games."
It was a must-win match for the Saints given Richmond's win over Hawthorn earlier in the day which saw the Tigers move to within two points of St Kilda, who were in ninth position behind Brisbane at the time.
With tough games against Adelaide and Essendon to finish the home-and-away season, a win against the Dockers was vital.
However, the Saints looked in trouble when Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich kicked his second major of the second term to give his side a 16-point lead at the 12-minute mark.
But St Kilda responded with two goals to close to within four points at the main break before taking control in the second half, piling on 11 goals to two.
Lyon said he was pleased his side stuck to the basics.
"We were strong in the contest most of the day. We thought, we didn't take our opportunities in the first quarter and created a couple of turnover goals which we did the week before," he said.
"But, we just persisted and persevered until, the wait of numbers swung our way."
Lyon also said was pleased with how his side focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about what the result meant for their finals chances.
"(At half-time) we just spoke about ... what we did well, where we need to improve," Lyon said.
"If you look at results, once you start looking at results and then expectation comes, then you lose focus and then you lose, so we focused on the job at hand."
Lyon added that the club would continue taking it one match at a time rather than worry about gaining momentum going into the finals.
"What's momentum?" Lyon asked. "Everyone talks about momentum and gee whiz, we've won one and we've lost (one)."
"If you look at the whole package, it's six of our last eight (but) there were two losses we weren't thrilled with," he said.
"(Today) we just get some confidence back that we are a reasonable team."
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