St Kilda coach Brett Ratten knows yet another narrow loss may sap confidence at his AFL club.

But he’s taking a glass half-full approach after a three-point defeat to Melbourne in Alice Springs on Saturday night.

The loss is St Kilda’s fourth by a goal or less this season.

“We’re growing as a group … but we need to grab a couple of these performances because they can dent your confidence,” Ratten said.

“But the good part is we’re right in games all the time and we’re not going away, so that is the pleasing aspect.

“But we have just got to try and finish the game and get the points and find a way, which we haven’t done.”

The Saints remain in sixth spot and on track for their first finals campaign since 2011.

But Ratten lamented a lack of polish when losing to the Demons despite having 16 more inside 50s and three more scoring shots.

“It has probably dried up a little bit in the last few weeks but we have done a reasonable job at scoring and been quite potent when we go inside 50,” he said.

After playing six games in the 28 days, Ratten said his players would welcome an eight-day break ahead of next Sunday’s clash against Hawthorn.

“It will be good for some players to have a break, they have worked extremely hard … the group probably needs a little bit of a break,” he said.