St Kilda's AFL season is suddenly on the brink, even though they will stay third after this weekend.

Their Friday-night shocker against Essendon, coupled with the poor effort a fortnight previously against Collingwood, means there are now big question marks over the Saints.

Before the loss to the Magpies, last year's grand finalists appeared well on track for September.

They had won seven straight and successfully regained captain Nick Riewoldt from his hamstring tendon injury.

But they have not won since, with the Saints admittedly showing some good signs in the draw last week against Hawthorn.

Any encouragement gained from the Hawks match was lost on Friday night as the Bombers smashed St Kilda in the first term on the way to a 33-point win.

The margin flattered the Saints - they were 58 points down in the third term and kicked six of their 11 goals in the final quarter.

Coach Ross Lyon savaged them post-match, saying it was "pathetic" they had only managed three goals to halftime.

If there can be a "good" run to the finals, then the Saints have it - Port Adelaide, North Melbourne and Richmond at home before an away match against Adelaide.

But Lyon pointed out the Saints came to Etihad Stadium expecting an easy game against Essendon and such fixtures do not exist in this tight competition.

Significantly, it was only the second time in Lyon's tenure that the Saints conceded seven goals in the first quarter.

Lyon said everyone - himself included - had to accept responsibility for the Essendon loss.

Rather than send the players home on Friday night as soon as they had showered, Lyon held an initial team meeting to start picking over where they were going wrong.

He said it would have been "an open and frank discussion" and that was undoubtedly a polite understatement.

Lyon said it was vital that the Saints quickly start to analyse their form slump and turn it around.

"Obviously it's a long weekend from here, it's a long week," he said.

"It's Sunday, Port Power, but we'll move on, we'll review and analyse and move on pretty quickly - but not flippantly."

It was Essendon's third-straight win over the Saints, dating back to late last season, and all have been upsets.

This one upset Lyon the most.

"Our care and helping each other, colour to colour, was pretty poor," Lyon said.

"They looked like a top-four team and we looked like (we were) 14th, to be frank.

"It's not very palatable at the minute, but (it's) my job to lead and I aim to lead strongly, get to work and fix the problem - or problems.

"There's not one aspect of the game I can be positive about."

Lyon made a point of saying he did not think the Saints were in crisis, but is clearly furious at what has happened.

"In the context of what was at stake and how many games there are left, it's pretty hard to swallow," he said.

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