SEBASTIAN Ross did not take a backward step in facing up to one of the most challenging tasks in football, his role on Patrick Dangerfield "symbolic" in St Kilda's memorable three-point victory over Geelong, according to coach Alan Richardson.

Ross had the unenviable run-with role on the star Cat, and the young Saints onballer rose to the occasion to collect 33 disposals and outgun the red-hot Brownlow favourite through the middle of the ground.

Dangerfield was still one of the Cats' best players with 29 disposals and nine clearances, but Ross did enough to ensure one of the competition's top midfielders did not have the other-worldly performances he has enjoyed over the past fortnight.

Five talking points: St Kilda v Geelong

"We acknowledge Geelong is a really good footy team and some of the blokes that they're going to play on are really good players, but this is the way we want to play," Richardson said after the match.

"Ross versus Dangerfield is a good example of that. Seb is building his career, he's a guy that works exceptionally hard at his footy so he's starting to get rewarded.

"That was symbolic of the way we wanted to approach the game. The ultimate result has the potential to give us more belief."

WATCH the last two minutes

Richardson said he knew from early on in the game that his team had come to play.

"The way we started, the team showed that it turned up to win, which had been a bit of an issue for us against good teams in the last six weeks," Richardson said.

"To be smashed in the third quarter (the Saints allowed six goals in 12 minutes in the term), to respond a couple of times was really pleasing.

"That was the facet of the game that was most pleasing, that we didn't get knocked off our method."

WATCH: Alan Richardson's full post-match press conference

Richardson also reserved substantial praise for small forward Jade Gresham, whose clever goal in the final term will be in the running as one of the goals of the year.

Gresham, pick No.18 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, finished with 16 disposals, three score assists and eight inside 50s to complement that astonishing goal.

"He's going to be a really good player for us for a long time," Richardson said.

"He's got enormous composure. He's a very classy player and he's very tough.

"He often features highly internally in what we rate defensively that, to some extent, goes unnoticed.

"He can also do some pretty special things at time. He's one of those guys that can make something out of nothing and that goal was pretty special, given the moment and the pressure."

Nathan Wright injured his shoulder in the second term but played out the game despite being "banged up".

The powerful forward looks extremely unlikely for next Saturday's game against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium after being spotted in the rooms after the game with his arm in a sling.

The Saints are keen to atone for the troubles they have had winning interstate this season, with losses to Port Adelaide (33 points), Hawthorn (three), West Coast (103 points) and Adelaide (88) on the road highlighting those issues.

Richardson addressed the travel factor in the club's team meeting after the game against the Cats.

"We've let ourselves down (interstate) so we're looking forward to the potential of correcting that one," Richardson said.

"We know the Suns are still playing some reasonable footy and they're building sharply, so we'll need to be strong."