Max King had a tough night in front of the posts as Saints lost to Lions but St Kilda coach Brett Rattan says he still has confidence in the youngster.

St Kilda coach Brett Ratten has no doubt Max King will bounce back after the spearhead's wayward goal-kicking proved costly in a loss to Brisbane that all but ended the Saints' AFL finals chances.

King gradually worked his way into Friday night's contest against Lions star Harris Andrews but let himself down in front of goal, finishing with 0.5 in the 15-point defeat.

It left the Saints needing a series of results to fall their way in order to sneak into the top-eight.

King's goal-kicking has been a glaring issue at times throughout his 59-game career but Ratten backed the 22-year-old to find his groove.

"He's doing a power of work and what I do know is I want Max King in my corner," Ratten said.

"He'll be at our footy club for 10 years and when we look back we'll be saying what a great player he is and what he's done.

"Tonight he had a night where it didn't work for him. He did everything right bar the finish.

"He's 22 years of age, we love what he brings to the footy club and he's developing, but we know he's doing the work.

"Sometimes you don't get the reward all the time but he'll keep doing that and you watch, he'll turn it around."

King kicked three behinds in the third quarter, including two bad misses from set shots about 20 metres out.

He also had a chance to level the scores during the final term but missed from 40 metres before the Lions went coast-to-coast from the kick-in, resulting in a crucial Joe Daniher goal.

Former champion Essendon Matthew Lloyd, who coached King in school football, said in 3AW's commentary that he felt "sick" for the young star.

St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt said his heir in the No.12 jumper "just looked completely devoid of confidence".

"His routine was broken to the point that, we watched him pretty close in the last five or 10 minutes and I just don't think he wanted the ball," Riewoldt told Fox Footy.

"We've all been there, I've been there and it's a horrible feeling.

"When you lose confidence in your routine and your ability to go back and even make reasonably good contact, it's a horrible feeling."

Ratten said King's issues were more complicated than just failing to deal with pressure.

"Goal-kicking has got so many elements to it," Ratten said.

"It's the technical aspect, the mental aspect, the fatigue - people score from different parts of the ground when the ball is on the right side versus the left (for example).

"There's different elements to it but I wouldn't say it's high pressure.

"I want to go to war with Max because he delivers and he will deliver."