SOMETIMES it is difficult to gauge intangibles such as spirit and morale, but not with the current St Kilda team.

Regardless of the result, the Saints are playing with irrefutable spirit at the moment. A mixture of wise heads balanced with young whipper-snappers is perfect for a club that has pushed through thick mud and is coming out clean on the other side. And the feeling is contagious.

This is not to say the journey is complete, or even half-complete, but rather the transparent direction the club undertook to rebuild not just its playing list, but the culture that surrounds it, is being justified.

VIDEO: Jack Billings post-game

Not once, but twice, since St Kilda’s remarkable 55-point turnaround in round five have the Saints mounted unlikely fightbacks. 

In round eight against the Eagles, Alan Richardson’s young team booted five goals to West Coast’s one in a second term that got them back in the contest after trailing by 37 points at quarter-time.

Then on Sunday, Brisbane shot out to an early lead of 29 points. The old St Kilda – maybe even the not so old St Kilda – may have put the cue in the rack at this point. Without conceding defeat, the spirit that is required to turn the game around would not have existed.

Yet in the space of 16 minutes, the Saints booted six goals and turned a five-goal deficit into a lead… away from home. This was gutsy, backs against the wall stuff.

It was an incredible half hour of football that was not led by Nick Riewoldt – his primary influence was early and late on Sunday, but by David Armitage, Jack Lonie and Luke Dunstan.

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The fightback against the Eagles a week earlier was led by Jack Sinclair, who collected eight disposals in the second term and Jack Billings, who has elevated himself from a solid contributor to a front-liner in 2015.

Although the game was ultimately lost against a well-rounded and slick West Coast outfit, the second quarter resilience did not go unnoticed by the victors.  

“It was interesting listening to the way in which West Coast spoke about the game last week,” Alan Richardson said on Sunday.

“They mentioned a fair bit about the spirit in which the Saints are playing. We are really proud of that.”

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But spirit is not just about fighting back per se; it also encompasses the smaller battles in games. A Jack Lonie tackle, a David Armitage clearance or even a Sean Dempster mark in defence can alter the course of a match.

The ability to consistently respond to the ebbs and flows in a positive manner is what separates the St Kilda of 2015 to last year’s version.

“The fightbacks are a positive,” Richardson said.

“It’s frustrating and disappointing that we get ourselves into those positions where we need such a response [but] the group certainly has a bit of spirit.

“Even though Brisbane continued to have moments throughout the game today, we were able to respond and keep going.”

Winning matches helps, but for the current Saints crop, it is the spirit that holds them in good stead for the future – even more so than the four points available every weekend. 

Jack Lonie and Nick Riewoldt celebrate a goal