With the first month of the AFL season drawing to a close, narratives for all of the competition's 18 teams have begun to arise.

Whilst some are struggling and others are thriving, you can bet your bottom dollar that each of the league's list of polo shirt wearing pedagogues will still be desperate for improvement this weekend.

With this in mind, here are the key quandaries facing every AFL club ahead of Round 4.

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St. Kilda

Have they been totally exposed?

For any long-suffering St. Kilda fan worth their salt, Saturday afternoon's insipid loss to a youthful Essendon outfit must have bordered on insulting.

With their performance referred to as anything from unacceptable to gutless by these same loyal patrons, it is on both Brett Ratten and his playing group to respond quickly.

With clashes against West Coast, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs before the safety of the bye in Round 14, if the Moorabbin sinners continue to remain lackadaisical, then this season is likely to slip away from them at the rate of knots.

As highlighted by club legend Nick Riewoldt on Fox Footy's On The Couch earlier in the week, the Saints finished their clash against the Dons with a -34 pressure rating differential โ€“ the worst of any side since 2017.

The 2020 finalists also posted a 50% tackle efficiency (the 3rd worst by the club since the statistic has been recorded) and 106-points conceded from turnovers (the most by any AFL team in 13 years).

Wins are sought by every player, coach and fan in the AFL, and although they can't be achieved every week, determination from playing groups is non-negotiable.

As highlighted above, the Saints just didn't exert the requisite levels of effort in Round 3.

Many believed that the return to longer quarters would suit the Saints in 2021, as their youthful list and their desire to play quickly could bury teams early in contests. However, after nearly a month of football, the opposite is proving to be true, with many players in red, white and black jumpers looking eternally exhausted.

2020 may have seen St. Kilda return to the eight for the first time in nearly a decade, but as nothing beyond an elimination final victory was achieved, there is still nothing to celebrate at Moorabbin just yet.

If the insipid โ€˜efforts' continue this weekend and beyond, this aforesaid group of success starved fans may be in for further pain in the near future.

Football is a funny game though, and if the Saints respond against West Coast on Saturday evening, then all could be forgiven in the blink of an eye.

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