The pressure is piling on Ross Lyon after the master coach’s St Kilda narrowly lost to Hawthorn on Saturday and slumped to fourteenth on the AFL ladder. The Saints were beaten by the rebuilding Hawks by five points, continuing a trend where they just can’t get the job done in tight games. In six games they’ve been involved in this year that have been decided by 10 points or fewer, they have won just one, and that was against a struggling Richmond side in Round 4.
“We’re the ones selling the message to the public. I think we need to be a little bit careful there. “Ross has never been an excuse-driven coach, but I think the pressure at the moment on the Saints is absolutely justified. They’ve had some close losses, yes, but so far it’s been a really disappointing season. “And for me, it’s a lack of cohesion up forward that is absolutely killing them.