St Kilda coach Ross Lyon believes the club's window of opportunity for premiership success is still open despite the Saints losing control of their own destiny in 2007 on Friday night.

The eight-point loss to the Eagles will see the Saints enter round 22 out of the eight and needing to not only beat Richmond but also have other results fall their way if they are to play finals for a fourth consecutive season.

Lyon did not share the view held by many experts that the Saints' prospects of winning a premiership with their current generation of players diminished with each failed attempt.

While key players Robert Harvey and Fraser Gehrig are both 36 and 31 respectively and seemingly on their last legs, Lyon believed the Saints had more than just a nucleus of a premiership team.

"You build premiership sides around Riewoldts and Koschitzkes, Lenny Hayes, and Sam Fisher and Maguire's only going to get better," said Lyon, who refused to comment on what heralded a pass mark for the club this year.

"We've got enormous spine, we've got Gardiner and Goddard on the comeback trail."

"There's no doubt I'd like more run, a few more midfielders to run, a little bit of special talent at the feet of Riewoldt and Koschitzke beyond Stephen Milne."

"We've got a plan and we're going to get there."

"The window of opportunity for this group, if you add the right talent, is clearly open."

While the Saints squandered a 28-point quarter-time lead against the Eagles, Lyon could not fault his side's effort against the reigning premier.

Lyon, who denied his side was overrun in the last term, said it was his team's overuse of the ball in the third quarter which cost it victory.

"I can't question my boys' effort and hardness," he said.

"I thought our skill level and over finesse was really costly in the wash up. I think that's the lesson."

"When we were winning the ball really well and just that finesse, we wouldn't go forward under pressure."

"Our field kicking and just inventing handballs that weren't there that turned over. I thought they were really costly, invited them into the game."

"They got their tails up and then we had to wrestle back momentum and it was real dog fight from there on end."

"It wasn't a fitness issue"

The Saints will have to face Richmond minus midfielder Jayden Attard, who may have damaged his anterior cruciate ligament though scans on Saturday morning will confirm the extent of the damage.

Lyon also said he would not play Harvey, who is battling a quadriceps strain, next week out of sentiment.

Harvey is still yet to decide whether he will line up for a 21st season next year.