ST KILDA concedes several of its players were too heavy in 2017 and will ensure they are much lighter next season. 

The club was 9-6 after round 16 and sitting seventh, having just thumped eventual premier Richmond, before a disappointing end to the year saw the Saints win just two more games as they missed finals for a sixth straight season.

Coach Alan Richardson told AFL.com.au it was important his players didn't carry too much bulk.

"A few guys identified at the end of the year, sitting down with the coaches and the conditioning staff, (they) had perhaps muscled up a little bit too much," Richardson said. 

"It was still good weight, but given the way that we want to play and they as individuals need to play for us, a few guys stripped a bit of weight."

Key forward Paddy McCartin has suffered a right foot sprain and will be in rehab for the rest of the year, but he is already noticeably leaner. 

The 21-year-old is not the only one who has shed kilograms. Mav Weller and Shane Savage are also slimmer.

Weller carried a right ankle injury throughout the campaign and was dropped for three games in rounds 16-18 and missed another match through injury.

Meanwhile, Savage lined up in 12 games after spending a chunk of the season in the VFL, before being recalled in round 16 and finishing with a flourish.

"Mav lost a fair bit of weight, anywhere up to eight kilos. Sav's probably five," Richardson said.

"Paddy's got himself into really good shape. That's one of the positives of missing a bit of training and missing a bit of footy. He was able to still do his conditioning training.

"We think all those guys will be better for it."

McCartin suffered his sixth concussion since 2014 in June and the enforced time out of contact work at training meant he could focus on his running.