St Kilda senior coach Brett Ratten has lambasted his side's output in Friday night's 35-point defeat to Essendon, labelling the loss as a "reality check".
Five consecutive goals in the opening 13 minutes of the third term saw the Saints claw themselves back into the contest after booting just three majors in the opening half.
The Bombers were able to stave off the surging Saints, immediately replying to the momentum swing with one of their own to boot the six uninterrupted goals before the final break.
Ratten stated the defeat was hard viewing from his seat, with their efforts in the 'premiership quarter' a minuscule moment in an "unacceptable" loss.
"I think the third quarter probably flattered us a little bit, after getting a rocket we came back and showed a bit of fight. But by the end of the third, it was virtually even again for the quarter," Ratten said after the loss.
"Just to lose contested ball by 23, which then fuels the uncontested ball, that was as hard to watch for a while that we've been involved in. Especially with where we're at as a group, in the game and what it meant to us in regards to 'Spud's Game', that was really below par.
"Execution by foot, three v one and we miss a target, we squandered so many opportunities, and then you look on the other side of the coin, and say 38 tackles for a game isn't where we're at. That, defensively, is unacceptable.
"We conceded 61 inside 50s, and good luck trying to win games of footy when you concede that much."
Ratten soon turned the blowtorch onto his playing group, who were found out in several aspects of the encounter.
The St Kilda coach went as far to say that almost his entire squad had "below par" performances, only managing to highlight defender Josh Battle as a positive.
"I think it's a reality check for our players, you're never as good as you think you are, and you're never as bad as you think you are, and tonight's performance was very, very bad," Ratten added.
"When you look at all aspects of the game, we halved clearance aspects by the end, but some of the spread and use and defence, the combination of the game, we were below par in nearly every aspect.
"Then trying to work out did we actually have a winner on the ground, a clear winner, I'd say (Josh) Battle was nearly the only one. Outside of that, it was Essendon everywhere.
"We carried so many in the first half, and even by the end of the day, you look at the performance of players and they had not just below par performances, but really below par."
The loss sees the Saints vulnerable to falling out of the top eight in the coming weeks, remaining tied with ninth-placed Collingwood on points.
Their run doesn't get easier either, with fixtures against fellow finals hopefuls the Swans, Blues, Dockers and the Bulldogs to come in the month ahead.
Ratten echoed his disappointment in the loss to Essendon when reflecting on his side's stretch to September, knowing the Saints will be susceptible should they put out similar performances.
"I think the part about the tough draw, it's all tough," he said.
"Whoever plays us it's going to be tough, hopefully, back the other way. Everyone talks about what we've got, what about what the opposition has too?
"But I will say, what we dished out today, I don't think they'll be too scared, will they?"
St Kilda will travel to Sydney to face the Swans at the SCG next Saturday night at 7:25pm (AEST), where they'll welcome the return of skipper Jack Steele from injury.
