FOR JUST over 12 months, St Kilda didn't break that 100-point barrier. 

Under Brett Ratten, who has taken over from Alan Richardson, the Saints have done so twice in two weeks. 

Impressively, they did it another way. Last week, they shot out of the blocks against the Western Bulldogs, with classy pair Jack Billings and Hunter Clark delivering the footy well for dangerous forward duo Jack Lonie and Tim Membrey.

It happened differently against the Demons, as Ratten explained.

"Just because of our quantity (of inside 50s, 60-39), we've allowed ourselves to hit the scoreboard," Ratten said.

"It's a bit of a different game from last week. A lot more errors in the game and we made some mistakes, but we're young."

That ability to score adds weight to the argument many are mounting that St Kilda should drop the word 'caretaker' from Ratten's title and give him the job on a full-time basis.

If the club keeps playing like this, the board might not have a choice. Remarkably, the Saints could yet make finals, as they sit one win and percentage out of eighth spot. Next up is the team sitting there, Adelaide, a side that is seriously struggling, before facing three other clubs currently sitting outside the top eight in Fremantle, Carlton and Sydney.

A meagre percentage of 85 means making September is highly unlikely, but they should be buoyed by potentially having four-time best and fairest Jack Steven, three-time All Australian Dan Hannebery and emerging backman Josh Battle as inclusions for the Crows clash. 

"We can still make it, so while there is (hope), we'll keep pushing on, but we just want to play well," Ratten said. 

"Dan trained this morning and trained really well, so he'll be pushing really hard to get in."

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Jake Carlisle conceded what seemed to be a crucial free kick late in the third term, gifting Harrison Petty a goal after a high hit, even though the contact appeared to be minimal.

Ratten detailed the dialogue between those two after calling for the defender to come to the bench. 

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"'You're better than that, don't get sucked in, just focus on things you can control and do your job for the team' and he responded really well," Ratten said.

"He said, 'Yeah, I hardly did anything but I got pinged' and I said 'Well, it cost us a goal, so we need you back in the game and doing what you do best'."

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Blake Acres hurt his right shoulder during the final term and returned to the field.

At this stage, Ratten expects he will be available to face Adelaide.

"I'd say he's going to be OK but he might pull up sore tomorrow or something like that," Ratten said.