BEN McEvoy has implored his teammates to show the grit and determination evident in the second half on Saturday for the entire game against Geelong this weekend.

St Kilda kicked two goals to Port Adelaide’s seven in the opening quarter, before neutralising the contest in the second term.

“In that second quarter we were better at getting the game on our terms,” McEvoy told SAINTS.com.au. “We slowed it down a little bit and stemmed the flow, but just couldn’t score.”

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Faced with a deficit of 39 points at the main break, St Kilda rallied in the second half and briefly hit the lead in the final term.

“The boys did fight it out and it was yet another close one for us… It could have capitulated. To dig in and fight to the last was important,” he said.

“Contested ball was really good in the second half.”

McEvoy was dominant in the ruck against the Power, amassing a season-high 34 hit-outs and drifting forward to boot three goals. While he played down his influence as a marking target, McEvoy’s durability gives Scott Watters another goal-kicking option.

“Sometimes you get lucky and get on the end of the few and tonight was just one of those nights. That was nice but ultimately we didn’t get the result so it’s still pretty disappointing.”

You can follow Tom Morris on Twitter: @tommorris32