Saints chasing AFL balance on return from bye

More specifically, the equilibrium between attack and defence.

It's something St Kilda struggled to maintain before their mid-season bye - an issue they plan to rectify as they seek to reinvigorate their 2024 campaign.

"We're trying to get that real good balance and at the moment our defence is letting us down," Saints speedster Liam Henry said on Wednesday.

"We're allowing too many uncontested marks ... so if we can tighten up on that and get more front-half turnovers, then we can score easily from there.

"Good offence starts from really good defence and that's the style we're trying to go with."

After playing finals last year in Ross Lyon's return to the coaching hot seat, St Kilda (5-9) have slid to 14th on the ladder ahead of Sunday's meeting with Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium.

The Saints rank 15th for points scored (73.1 per game) and equal-13th for points conceded (79.2 per game), and have come under fire at times over a perceived defensive game style.

But they kicked their highest score of the season so far in a last-start defeat to Brisbane, cracking triple figures for just the fourth time in 38 games in Lyon's second stint in charge.

"The vibe coming back from the bye has been really good," Henry said.

"The boys are really eager to get in and improve on what we need to.

"We've got really good coaches that have given clear focuses that we need to work on and the biggest shift from last year to this year is the way that we're able to move the footy.

"We scored over 100 points at Brisbane and that's a really good positive going into the bye that we can score and we can score quickly."

Henry is enjoying his football at St Kilda after making an off-season switch from Fremantle and overcoming a hamstring injury earlier this year.

The 22-year-old has played eight games, taking his career tally to 51, and is relishing the attacking role handed to him by Lyon.

"I'm playing with a lot of freedom and running and using my strengths to be able to break the game (open)," Henry said.

"Ross is really into me (about) continuing to play how you want to play but towards the system that he brings.

"I love that freedom being up forward and being more of an attacking player."

Henry expects to face a fired-up opponent on Sunday, with Port under the blowtorch after three straight losses including an embarrassing 79-point home belting from the Brisbane Lions last week.

"They're a very good team and they have been for a very long time under Ken (Hinkley)," Henry said.

"They've got a really good list and they'll be looking to bounce back.

"We respect every opposition and we're just trying to focus on our own footy, but I expect them to come out firing. We've just got to match it."

Australian Associated Press