CARLTON coach Brendon Bolton doesn't accept the Blues' loss to St Kilda as a reality check, saying the club is placed where he thought it would be at the middle of the season.

After finishing last in 2015, the Blues have surprised many with their development this season, and won six of their past seven games leading into Sunday's clash with the Saints.

But the Saints were far too good at Etihad Stadium, claiming a 32-point win that leaves the Blues heading into next week's mid-season bye with six wins and six losses.

He said the defeat, on the back of some encouraging and promising form, didn't alter how he viewed the club's development in 2016.

"It doesn't change. We've just left the station and we're in a real development phase. We're learning how to win and when we lose how to deal with it and improve from it," he said after the loss.

"My assessment is [we are] exactly where I thought we'd be."

Carlton entered the clash after a comfortable 38-point win over the Brisbane Lions last week, but Bolton identified areas in that victory that needed improvement.

He felt his team didn't make those improvements in time for the meeting with the Saints, saying ball overuse, turnovers and being beaten at the centre bounces were critical factors in the loss.

"We didn't totally rectify those inconsistencies. We're on a journey and I've said that a lot, but we're just leaving the station. That's probably we're it's at," he said.

"You always coach for not having inconsistency, but if there is inconsistency there we need to learn from it and look at the why.

"Is it mindset? Is it needing to change the way in which we play within the game? We look at all those things. We don't go into a game wanting inconsistency."

Bolton also said the Blues had prepared for the Saints to rebound strongly after their heavy loss to Adelaide last week, as it had been a pattern for St Kilda across the season.

The Blues have the bye next week before returning to face Greater Western Sydney in round 14, and Bolton said the team would use the break to freshen up.

"It's a long and brutal season when you look at how all AFL players play," he said.

"There's collisions and there's work-rate and there's a long pre-season, so [they'll] get some time just to reset the mind and freshen up. They'll get a few days away from the club, as will the coaches."