Carlton coach Brett Ratten said spearhead Brendan Fevola was responsible for a swing of momentum against his team in its 32-point loss to St Kilda on Friday night.

Fevola, out of contract at season's end, continues to test the patience of the Carlton hierarchy, who are giving the impression they are sick of answering questions about the flamboyant and enigmatic forward.

Fevola conceded a 50-metre penalty after responding to the taunts of defender Max Hudghton, who had just won a free kick, by shoving the Saint in the face.

His penalty was eight minutes on the pine, while the team's was far stiffer.

The Saints capitalised, scoring a goal from the ensuing passage of play then another two in four minutes to turn a four-point deficit into a 14-point lead early in the second quarter.

"That was probably the start of it wasn't it?" Ratten said.

"We were taking the ball up, had a bit of control in the first two or three minutes of the second quarter, then the free kick, the 50, the kick down, the mark, the goal and I think they scored another goal within two minutes."

"Within about three or four minutes of the play we were two goals down the other way."

The normally calm Ratten showed his frustration when asked a follow-up question about whether the undisciplined side of Fevola will ever be ironed out.

"It's a tough one. Did anyone else give any free kicks away? I thought other players gave away free kicks," he said.

"I did comment that I thought it probably changed the momentum of the game."

Fevola finished the night with three goals and eight kicks.

The ongoing saga of Fevola's playing future has been an intriguing subplot to Carlton's 2008 campaign.

There is much speculation he could be headed to Sydney, which has reportedly offered Fevola a lucrative four-year deal worth $3 million.

Fevola, 27, was fined $10,000 and expelled from the Blues' leadership group earlier this year after urinating outside a Melbourne nightclub days out from the season-opener against Richmond.

The incident also saw him threatened with the sack in the event of another off-field indiscretion.

The enigmatic forward was also dropped last year by then coach Denis Pagan for a petulant on-field display against Fremantle in Perth.