Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says he still has flashbacks of the scoring opportunities missed by St Kilda players when he coached them to a narrow defeat in the 2009 AFL grand final.

Lyon, who shocked the Saints by quitting the club days after their 2011 season ended to join the Dockers, said he would never lose his admiration for the group of St Kilda players he guided to within a whisker of a premiership in 2009 and 2010.

He said the 2009 loss to Geelong cut deeper than the following year’s loss to Collingwood, which came after an initial drawn grand final, because the Saints topped the ladder in 2009 and had more scoring shots than the Cats in the decider.

“I thought we would have stolen 2010 … I felt Collingwood were the best team that year and dominated,” Lyon told Fox Footy’s On the Couch program on Monday night.

“Whereas 2009, to come in at halftime, I think we had 36 (forward) entries to 15.

“It will bob into my head, players running into an open goal from 10m and missing.

“But does that take away the respect and admiration I have for that player group? That will never be diminished in my eyes.”

Despite shocking Saints players and administration with his unexpected exit after guiding the club to a fourth straight finals campaign last year, Lyon said he was comfortable with his decision.

He baulked at a question over whether the Saints’ desire to cut his salary was a factor, saying: “I’m not sure that’s relevant.”

He was similarly evasive when asked whether the Saints would have kept him had they come forward earlier with the offer which they eventually presented post-season, saying: “It’s a moot point.”

The new Dockers coach praised Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich’s role in the way the players at the West Australian club had embraced his ideas and increased fitness demands.

“I can tell you one thing, if your captain doesn’t fall into line, the rest don’t follow,” Lyon said.

“He was the first to move and from there everyone has fallen into line.”