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Coach Brett Ratten is refusing to talk up St Kilda's finals prospects despite the resurgent Saints upsetting premiership fancies the Brisbane Lions.

St Kilda's rollercoaster AFL season has soared to new heights with coach Brett Ratten hailing the Saints' upset of Brisbane as the club's best.

The Saints recorded a third straight win to spoil Lions captain Dayne Zorko's 200th AFL game in a 32-point victory at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.

Their season appeared to be shot when they coughed up a 36-point lead to lose to strugglers Adelaide a month ago.

But their triumph over the Lions takes St Kilda to 8-8, with only a poor percentage keeping them outside of the top-eight.

"We've won some games, but it hasn't gone for the four quarters we've been after," Ratten said.

"Against the quality opposition that Brisbane are, I think it was our best performance so far this year."

While satisfied with knocking over a premiership contender, Ratten is not getting ahead of himself with the Saints having a tough run home.

"We've had a very chequered first half of the year and even games that we've won we've had lapses," he said.

"We're just going to keep chipping away and I don't want to sound boring but that's just a reality for us."

After making finals for the first time since 2011 last year, the Saints have been smashed by key players being unavailable this season.

But midfielder Zak Jones made a welcome return against the Lions, joining ruckman Rowan Marshall, who has made a staggering difference since coming back for the round-15 win over Richmond.

Luke Dunstan was out-of-favour earlier in the year but he has returned in career-best form, adding another dimension to the Saints' midfield.

"It's a great story," Ratten said.

"That's what puts a smile on your face when you get to see somebody do that and get the rewards.

"He didn't drop his bundle, he just kept working hard."