St Kilda coach Alan Richardson has described his players' approach to their forgettable Good Friday AFL loss as "naive and immature" but expects better against Adelaide on Saturday night.
The Saints turned in a shocker in a 52-point loss to North Melbourne, with Richardson on Thursday saying his team took the wrong mind-set into the match.
St Kilda blasted Brisbane with a nine-goal second half in their opening round and Richardson said they believed they could roll on past the Kangaroos.
"I think our guys just expected the back-end form against Brisbane to roll on," Richardson said on Thursday.
"It was nothing at all to do with the Kangaroos, it was more about us.
"It was pretty naive and immature in many ways and that's where it sat so what's important is that we do something about it."
Without retired superstar Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna, Richardson said he wanted more from the emerging leaders and experienced players in the group such as Seb Ross.
Richardson and the coaching staff kept the players on tenterhooks this week, purposely waiting until after their Thursday session before revealing the team to face the Crows at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
After being belted on contested ball by the Kangaroos, he put them through a torrid session on Tuesday where the focus was all about intensity and felt they had responded well.
"It's been intense - we had a significant and willing session on Tuesday and that's been the real focus after the weekend, to make sure that we work hard as group and stick together.
"They're a proud group and we've had some performances before that we'd rather not have but what's been pleasing is that we've been able to respond and that's what we're looking for."
Richardson said if they didn't then Adelaide, who got some grand final revenge over Richmond last round, could embarrass them.
They haven't stopped the Crows in their last seven meetings.
"The work to get to the next contest was our biggest concern and Adelaide are good at that," he said.
"I think they were plus 48 themselves (in contested possessions) last week against the reigning premiers so if you don't get that right you could be embarrassed."
