After getting their own taste of a tight defeat, St Kilda will be out to heap more misery on North Melbourne when they meet at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The Saints fell to the Western Bulldogs by nine points last round after leading for much of the AFL game.

But it doesn’t compare to the Kangaroos’ most recent loss, when they blew a 30-point final-quarter lead against Adelaide to go down by a point.

It was the fourth time in 2013 they have lost by less than a goal.

Saints coach Scott Watters didn’t think North would be fragile if their game came down to the wire.

“The media may have spoken about that but we’re just focused on ourselves,” Watters said.

“Whatever situation eventuates at the end of the game, we’ll be prepared either way.”

St Kilda will be without veteran Lenny Hayes for two weeks after he suffered a bad cork in the third term, although he appeared to run well doing laps at their training ground on Thursday.

In-form midfielder David Armitage (calf) is also in some doubt although Watters said he was “optimistic” he would be available.

While the Kangaroos (3-6) will be desperate to get a win to keep their season alive, the Saints, with a 2-7 record, are effectively already out of the running for the top eight.

Watters said there was still pressure, both internally and externally on his team.

“From our point of view the pressure’s on every week and we want it to be on our players.

“We’re hungry to get better because we’re not comfortable where we sit.

“We don’t want to, at this stage of the season, only have two wins.”

Watters said his players weren’t training like their season was over.

The Saints themselves have had four losses by less than 20 points.

He believed the difference between them and North was maturity.

“They’re probably a bit more mature through some areas of their side.

“They’re a good side, to lose four games by four points or less, it shows you’re a pretty good side.”