St Kilda remains in the top eight race but their finals hopes are hanging by a thread.
The Saints were competitive in the first half against Fremantle before succumbing in the second half when conceding 11 goals and kicking just three, going under by 41 points.
That result has sitting them ninth on the ladder, equal on points with eighth-placed Richmond but with inferior percentage.
The loss to the Dockers, which was their fourth in five games, suggested to Kane Cornes that Brett Ratten’s side simply might not be good enough.
He feels the Saints are stuck right in the middle while questioning the club’s depth.
“It’s a tough spot to be in when you’re not quite good enough, but you’re not bad,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
“That sounds ridiculous but you’d rather be really bad and have the ability to be able to rebuild than where they’re at.
“I don’t think their depth is good enough.
“It’s the same issues that we’ve been talking about with the Saints and unless you are absolutely ferocious week in, week out - which is a really difficult thing to be able to do for 23 weeks of the season - you get found out when you don’t have that level of talent that some of the other teams have.”
Cornes also touched on St Kilda’s forward line, Max King’s role in it and how they yielded to the pressure placed on them by Freo.
The Saints have struggled in attack in their four recent defeats, scoring an average of just 57 points in those games.
“The forward line was a mess again,” he added.
“They’re trying to do some different things with their forward line. Max King was playing higher up the ground. (Rowan) Marshall, (Paddy) Ryder and (Tim) Membrey were playing that role (closer to goal), but once again got in each other’s road.
“King was out-bodied far too often. I feel like he does need to get a lot stronger in the contest.
“Their midfield is ok and competitive, but they could not handle the heat that Fremantle applied and their ball use was horrific.
“In a finals-like game with finals-like pressure they were clearly found out and it goes to show that they’re just not quite at the level.”
Next on the agenda for the Saints is the 10th-placed Western Bulldogs in what could be a season-defining clash at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
After that, they take on West Coast in Perth, Hawthorn at Marvel and Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.