St Kilda coach Brett Ratten can't wait for another top-four test after his returning troops clicked the Saints back into gear with a dominant 35-point AFL win over Essendon on Sunday.
Max King kicked three goals while crucially Brad Hill found more ball in the Saints' 10.8 (68) to 5.3 (33) victory built on a dominant first half at the Gabba.
St Kilda shot back into the AFL's top four before next weekend's clash with second-placed Brisbane, while the Bombers are without a win from their past four games and outside the top eight.
The Saints had won four straight before Geelong, now third, dominated them in an anticlimactic 59-point flogging six days ago.
Rested for that game, ruckman Patty Ryder was back alongside Zak Jones, who had 26 disposals in his 100th AFL game.
In partnership with Rowan Marshall, Ryder made a difference too, chiming in with a momentum-snapping goal in the third term as St Kilda cruised home.
It hurt Ratten to leave the experienced pair out against the Cats but he's excited to include them against the Lions, potentially alongside Jake Carlisle and Dean Kent.
"To respond the way we did (after that loss) was really good," Ratten said.
"We want to put ourselves in a position to make finals, we haven't done it in eight years.
"With each win we get closer, and with each win we get some self belief so we'll just keep pushing on."
Ratten's men mopped up well in defence and then carved through the midfield led by Jack Steele (13, contested possession, six clearances) and Hill (17 disposals), Dan Butler's goal a product of that to create a 41-point buffer approaching half time.
King was ominous early, kicking the game's first two before marking in the square and playing on only to get caught and then miss another set shot.
Star recruit Hill had just seven touches against the Cats on Monday but showed his class - and pace - with some penetrating play.
Essendon, coming off a four-point loss and a draw, appeared to lack energy despite making five changes for the clash.
And it doesn't get any easier for the Bombers - up against Richmond next with West Coast, Geelong and Port Adelaide among their next six opponents.
"We need to start with the intensity that we've shown we can play at," coach John Worsfold said.
"That was off tonight; to go forward like they did and score at ease as they did in that first quarter really put the game away ... the damage was done."