St Kilda midfielder Seb Ross believes the Saints departed Western Australia with plenty of positives from their 19-point loss to West Coast, despite returning to Melbourne without four premiership points.
The Saints led the Eagles at every break and were in front for the entire game until the 21st minute mark of the final quarter, before West Coast kicked the last five goals of the game to pinch the win at the death.
“There were plenty of positives. ,” Ross told saints.com.au after Saturday night’s loss in Perth.
“We were really positive for three quarters there but we just couldn’t quite run out the game.
“I don’t know if they went to another level or we dropped off; I think a few things happened and they just won more contests than us in that last quarter and ran away with the win.”
With the blowtorch firmly fixed on St Kilda’s form beyond the Victorian border, Ross said the Saints new interstate approach helped lead to a much better effort at Domain Stadium.
“Obviously it’s been spoken about that a focus of ours this year is to be play better interstate,” Ross said.
“I think the last two times I’ve played over here we’ve lost by an average of 95 or 100 points.
“We’ve come out this year to try and redeem that, try and travel better. We’ve taken a different approach this year and we were in it for most of the game.”
Ross lauded the performance by new full-back Nathan Brown after the former Collingwood premiership defender held back-to-back Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy for much of the night before the star spearhead hit the scoreboard late in the game.
“I thought he was terrific. I was chatting to him just before and it’s a tough one because a forward like that only needs a few opportunities,” he said.
“Last week he kicked seven goals straight and I think tonight he kicked three goals straight.
“Browny did a good job; I told him he (only) had three shots on goal, but unfortunately he converted most of them.”
