It's amazing how big a difference just four quarters can make to even the long-term prospects for a club.
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Immediately before Saturday's St Kilda-Collingwood clash there was plenty of talk about just how advanced was the Saints' rebuilding mission under Alan Richardson, now in his third season at the helm.
Like the last two years, there had already been evidence even in two games this season to support both an argument that things were going fine, and an alternative view that progress was perhaps not as steady as the Saints would like.
Against Port Adelaide, St Kilda more than kept pace with the Power before being outscored seven-goals-to-one in the last quarter. Last week against the Western Bulldogs, they had a decent crack, but to be frank looked a class below the Dogs.
So what to make of them after a comprehensive win over Collingwood, a victory Richardson rated the best of his tenure?
What you can say is this. That while the Saints may still have the odd dirty day this season, the afternoons in which everything clicks are going to deliver some more tangible rewards, and significant scalps, than we've seen in the 10 victories over two seasons delivered under Richardson.
St Kilda beat up on a broken Essendon last year, and mowed down a 55-point deficit against the Bulldogs earlier last season.
But this was a commanding performance from start to finish. What's more, one achieved with only 19 fit players for the second half, the forward set-up denuded by the concussions to Nick Riewoldt and Paddy McCartin, and injury to Dylan Roberton.
Not too often under Richardson have the Saints made the running to the extent they did against Collingwood. Yes, it was a courageous effort given the loss of personnel, but even under duress the Saints continued to take risks, to trust their ball skills, to play the sort of football which, as they mature, will be the brand to which they aspire week to week.
Notable also was who drove the performance. As they have continually in recent times, Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna, Sean Dempster and Sam Fisher did their bit.
But Jack Steven does that too now on a weekly basis. And more significantly, the longer-term potential of this group was underlined with the cumulative impact of the good performances from Seb Ross, Jack Billings, Luke Dunstan, Maverick Weller and Jimmy Webster.
Consider who didn't play and it's possible to get more excited still about St Kilda's future. Jade Gresham, Blake Acres and Hugh Goddard are all likely to be a constant part of the Saints' best 22 years from now.
Whatever the benefits not being gained in the recruitment of Jake Carlisle this year, they will be there in 2017. As, you'd hope, would those of Nathan Freeman, who played his first game of any sorts for the Saints on the weekend, racking up 46 touches in three quarters of the VFL reserves.
The talent is clearly coming through for St Kilda. And on days like Saturday, you wonder whether that slow but steady progress is indeed starting to pick up steam a bit quicker than we thought.
