2015 was a big step in the right direction for St Kilda, but despite the improvement, Saints coach Alan Richardson has implored his side to become far more consistent next season.

St Kilda won six and a half games during Richardson’s second year in charge, as well as recording a small handful of narrow losses, to etch out an encouraging season after a difficult few years at the Linen House Centre.

But whilst 2015 was without doubt a positive season for the Saints, Richardson wants his men to be able to compete with the best when they are at their best, not when they’re merely ripe for the picking.

“The reality is that some of those games, we’d be kidding ourselves if we didn’t say the teams we played against were slightly off. So we need to be much more consistent,” Richardson told Adelaide radio station FiveAA last week.

“We had some really good footy in certain elements of the game against good teams, we just weren’t able to maintain it.

“Our challenge is when the opposition is up and firing and at their best, then we want to be able to match that sort of footy. And that’s what we’re looking to do.”

Following an impressive opening two-thirds to the season, St Kilda dropped off after round 17, securing only two more premiership points for the year, as well as suffering several disappointing losses in the closing stages of the campaign.

Honest and matter of fact, Richardson was pleased with his side’s improved defensive work in 2015, but outlined a need to improve across the board next year in order to build on the momentum generated last winter.

“We went from being somewhat uncompetitive in 2014, to last year being pretty strong,” Richardson said.

“In fact, pressure wise we ended up really high, tackles we ended up really high, some of our defensive stuff was pretty positive, but we just have to get better in all areas.”