St Kilda are set to end Round 6 on top of the AFL ladder, with returned coach Ross Lyon leading the team to a 5-1 record to start the season.
The Saints bounced back from their only loss of the season so far against Collingwood last week with an impressive 22-point win over Carlton on Sunday in front of a packed crowd at Marvel Stadium, with 'finals' now on the tip of many St Kilda fans' tongues.
With matches against Port Adelaide and North Melbourne to come, Lyon's side could find themselves with an impressive win-loss record after two months, despite the injury list that has plagued the club throughout the start of the year.
Speaking after Sunday's win, Lyon said that while featuring in September was always the hope, the Saints weren't looking to far ahead.
Under former coach Brett Ratten last season, the Saints also approached Round 7 with a 5-1 record but finished the year in 10th position, failing to feature in the finals series.
โI don't set any long-term goals. It's self-evident in the AFL, everyone's trying to play finals โ otherwise you shouldn't be in,โ Lyon said.
โWe were exploring tonight, so you get an audit every week you play at this level.
Owens LAUNCHES it.#AFLBluesSaints pic.twitter.com/G3QsGsuE6s
— AFL (@AFL) April 23, 2023
โI don't think expectation ever leaves AFL football because everyone puts it on you anyway. We know expectation individually and collectively is just inherent.
โI heard Stuart Dew, who said โit's never left me'. So I don't think there's more this week or next.
โEvery day you wake up as an AFL coach and player, it's there.โ
Despite keeping his one week at a time approach, Lyon admitted it was good to see Saints fans up and about after a strong start to the season.
The senior coach, who was memorable for his testy moments with the media earlier in his career, has embraced the support of Saints fans, seen high fiving his way around Marvel Stadium after the win.
โWe gave them a high-five, we don't shut anything down,โ Lyon said post-game.
โWe sang a second rendition of the song, I didn't think the first one was loud enough so in the coaches' room we sang another one.โ
The Saints now face a five-day break before taking on Port Adelaide on Friday night, with matches against North Melbourne and Adelaide to follow.
