Saints list analysis 2022

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from the heraldsun.com.au

AFL 2022 list analysis: Every St Kilda player rated, plus their contract status beyond 2022

St Kilda’s AFL list has emerged as a major talking point. Are the Saints coming or going? Sam Landsberger has cast an eye over every player’s contract status at Moorabbin.
Sam Landsberger

"There are two places football clubs don‘t want to be — on the front page or in no man’s land.

St Kilda was splashed across the front page last Friday for sacking re-signed coach Brett Ratten and its list is arguably stranded in no man’s land.

From 2015-2021 the Saints signed these players from rival clubs: Nathan Freeman, Jake Carlisle, Jack Steele, Koby Stevens, Nathan Brown, Logan Austin, Dan Hannebery, Dean Kent, Dougal Howard, Paddy Ryder, Bradley Hill, Zak Jones, Dan Butler, Brad Crouch, Shaun McKernan, James Frawley, Jack Higgins, Mason Wood, Tom Campbell and Jarrod Lienert.

It‘s almost as if Visy was their major sponsor and a couple of those moves came at the expense of precious draft picks.

In 2019 they gave up No. 10 in the Hill deal, which Fremantle on-traded to Melbourne to move two places up the order.

The Dockers drafted Rising Star winner Caleb Serong with Melbourne‘s pick, and the Demons drafted a small forward called Kysaiah Pickett with the selection St Kilda started with.

The Saints entered that draft at pick 52, having offloaded their second-round pick for Hannebery 12 months earlier.

At that selection the likes of powerful playmaker Chad Warner, premiership defender Trent Rivers and goalkicker Harry Jones were on the board.

In 2020 they slid back from No. 17 to 21 as part of the Higgins deal.

Geelong drafted wingman Max Holmes with the pick St Kilda gave away before the Saints took Matthew Allison (0 games) a few selections later.
Brett Ratten called out his team for having just 11 tackles in the first half against Western Bulldogs this year. Sixteen Saints had not registered one at the main break.
Brett Ratten called out his team for having just 11 tackles in the first half against Western Bulldogs this year. Sixteen Saints had not registered one at the main break.

Then again, before the influx of outsiders their recruiting at the top had also let them down.

In 2013 they took Jack Billings the pick before Marcus Bontempelli and in 2014 they took Paddy McCartin the pick before Christian Petracca.

In 2017 they took Nick Coffield and Hunter Clark at the two picks before Aaron Naughton.

Every club has similar draft skeletons in the closet and the Saints had some beauties along the way, too, such as snaring Rowan Marshall and Callum Wilkie as rookies.

The top-up plan did seemed to click in 2020.

Momentarily.

The Saints played finals — and won a final — for the first time since Ross Lyon was coach.

However, that appeared to be the peak and now the clock is ticking.

Champion Data said the Saints had the most 27-29 year olds in the AFL in 2022 as they missed finals for the second consecutive season.

They don’t appear to be emerging and, in the second half of the season (3-8), they certainly weren’t contending.

They went back to the draft last year, snagging Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera at No. 11 and academy products Mitch Owens at No. 33 and Marcus Windhager at No. 47.

Ratten felt those teenagers energised the Saints and they are now focused on teenage talent.

It‘s why a quiet trade period — they only brought in free agent Zaine Cordy — shouldn’t be criticised simply for its lack of headlines.

But list manager James Gallagher also emphasised the need for more A-graders.

“We‘ve got some emerging guns of the competition … but we need more,” he said at the start of trade period.

“Hence the really strong interest in (Jordan) De Goey. Typically your gun midfielders, your champion and your star midfielders, come in the first four, five, six picks of the draft.

“So we need to find a way to bring one or two of them in over the next couple of years.”

But the Saints only hold picks No. 9, 28 and 32. That’s the problem with no man’s land — you don’t get a serious look at the premiership or at the pointy end of the draft.

They tried to rise into the first few picks, but Gallagher said clubs with top-six selections were holding them tightly.

He attempted to package Hunter Clark up with No. 9 to prise pick No. 2 or 3 out of North Melbourne.

However the Roos, like most clubs, ranked George Wardlaw, Harry Sheezel and Elijah Tsatas evenly at the top of the draft and weren‘t interested.

Tsatas is a powerful midfielder who can get outside like Ryan Griffen while Sheezel plays like a striker.

He has strong footy IQ and is creative in the ilk of Stevie Johnson in front goal.
The Saints only wanted to release Clark if it gained them a top-three draft pick. They are desperate for access to elite talent, evidenced by their hot pursuit of Jordan De Goey.
The Saints only wanted to release Clark if it gained them a top-three draft pick. They are desperate for access to elite talent, evidenced by their hot pursuit of Jordan De Goey.

But the Saints are again set to miss out on the best of the best.

They’ve scored only two of the past 65 Rising Star nominations — awarded to Max King and Windhager.

Club legend Nick Riewoldt said in August the Saints needed to “cull and cull hard”. But their list was relatively rigid.

Darragh Joyce and Jarrod Lienert were delisted while Ben Long was traded to Gold Coast and Geary, Kent, Hannebery and Ryder retired.

Three players have signed beyond 2025 — Steele to 2027 and King and Marshall to 2026 — with plenty of others surely on notice.

Somewhat alarmingly, South Australian Wanganeen-Milera remains unsigned beyond 2023.

Chief executive Simon Lethlean and president Andrew Bassat said when Ratten was sacked after an 11-11 campaign that they expected more from this list.

Ratten seemingly agreed. Like Lethlean and Bassat, the coach pulled his hair out at inconsistent performances this year.

The Saints started the season 8-3 and are the last team to have beaten Geelong.

Yet they also managed 4.8 (32) against Sydney at the SCG and lost to Essendon.

Gallagher sees the improvement for the club’s 150th anniversary season in 2023 coming from injured players Nick Coffield, Jack Hayes, Billings, Clark and Jones.

The Saints have spent three years exactly where they declared they do no want to be — locked between sixth and 10th on the ladder

No man’s land.

How do they bust out and where to? Will they slide into the bottom four, surge into the top four or serve up more of the same?

Who knows.

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ST KILDA SAINTS 2022-2023 LIST ANALYSIS


1. NICK COFFIELD

Age: 23 (on Sunday) Games: 52 Signed to 2023

A rollercoaster ride. In 2020 Coffield was named the club‘s best emerging player and finished fifth in the best-and-fairest. In 2021 he was dropped to the VFL repeatedly and then a knee injury ended his 2022 season before it started. The defender linked up with a specialist running coach to turbocharge his engine last summer, which had Coffield a standout on the track before that significant knee setback. Suddenly, 2023 shapes as a sink or swim season for the No. 8 draft pick.

3. ZAK JONES

Age: 27 Games: 132 Signed to 2023

Ratten didn‘t miss after the loss to Western Bulldogs. “Jones had four possessions in half a game. You can’t run around the midfield and only have a handful of touches,” he said. The next week Jones was dropped and when he reappeared a month later it was as the medi-sub. That capped a difficult season for the former Swan, who sat out the first two months to work on his mental health. Contrast Jones’ quiet start against the Dogs with the 37 possessions and two goals he enjoyed against Hawthorn last year and, like many at the Saints, there is a frustrating pattern of inconsistency. Had more than 21 disposals only once from his past nine games.

4. JADE GRESHAM

Age: 25 Games: 113 Signed to: 2023

Watch Gresham live and he looks like the polished playmaker the Saints have been pleading for. But the statistics aren‘t as flattering. Gresham is ranked 93rd in the AFL for kicks inside 50m that are marked by a teammate and he has never finished in the top three of St Kilda’s best-and-fairest (his best was fourth in 2018). Achilles and back injuries restricted Gresham to just 14 games in 2020-2021, but he bounced back to play the first 18 games this season before a meniscus tear in his right knee ended his year. Long touted as St Kilda’s next star, Gresham is now 25 and once you get to that age often you are who you are. Gresham is a nice mover who has some dangerous games, but there’s an element of tease around him and he is one player who some former club greats have suggested could be worth trading given his currency.
Can veteran Brad Crouch elevating the Saints to another level?
Can veteran Brad Crouch elevating the Saints to another level?

5. BRAD CROUCH

Age: 28 Games: 136 Signed to: 2025

Ranked No. 5 in the AFL for tackles and finished sixth in the best-and-fairest. The Saints are 4-1 when Crouch lays 11 or more tackles and he has quickly become a stalwart of St Kilda‘s midfield. Learning to become a commercial real estate agent off the field, Crouch doesn’t need much space on it. Signing as a free agent was important because Crouch didn’t cost a draft pick. But at 28, and turning 29 before round 1, you have to wonder whether he is capable of elevating the Saints to another level.

6. SEB ROSS

Age: 29 Games: 181 Signed to: 2023

Workhorse came fifth in the best-and-fairest. Of the AFL‘s top 100 ball winners Ross ranks 17th for disposals per turnover. The family man — he has juggled football and father duties to his daughter and twin sons — is the closest player to the Ross Lyon era of 2011-2012, drafted two months after Lyon departed. Reliable dual best-and-fairest winner who was reinserted back into the centre square this season after playing almost half of 2021 on the wing.

7. NASIAH WANGANEEN-MILERA

Age: 19 Games: 17 Signed to: 2023

Will he re-sign? Or follow fellow South Australians Izak Rankine and Jason Horne-Francis home? That is the uncomfortable question facing St Kilda after securing the signatures of its other three debutants this year — but not Wanganeen-Milera. “We‘re in regular contact with Nasiah’s management and Nasiah. He’s really happy at our footy club, he’s a terrific kid. We’re really confident that Naz will stay,” Gallagher said this month. That sounds like it’s moving in the right direction for a player who moves so well on the grass. Max King might be the first teammate to celebrate a contract extension because he would love to spend the bulk of his career having ’Naz’ hit him up. As Ratten pointed out, the Saints ‘won’ the clanger/ineffective kick stat in 19 out of 22 games as errors eroded their season. But Wanganeen-Milera is already one of the best kicks at the club. Nous, calmness, decision making and movement — good luck laying a finger on him, because he gets out of trouble easier than a favourite child — are all eye-catching for the skinny teenager. Love how when the nephew of Brownlow Medallist Gavin Wanganeen sidesteps opponents he moves inside, maximising the damage of his dazzling delivery.

8. BRADLEY HILL

Age: 29 Games: 211 Signed to: 2025

The gap between Hill‘s best and worst is alarming, although he was far from alone as an inconsistent Saint. Most of the time you have to overpay rival players to attract them, but Hill’s salary — around $900,000 per season — coupled with his trade price has this deal in the spotlight. If the Saints were paying a more sensible salary it would be OK, but that cash plus giving Fremantle the pick it traded up to use on Caleb Serong stings. The Saints are 4-0 when Hill has 30 touches, but he’s had fewer than 15 in eight full games and St Kilda has won just two of those. Missed only two matches in three years so they’ve got close to maximum minutes out of Hill, but perhaps not quite bang for buck. If Ross Lyon returns will he lock his former Docker back on to a wing?

9. JACK STEELE

Age: 26 Games: 137 Signed to: 2027

Captain courageous from Canberra who is as competitive at Call of Duty as he is on Marvel Stadium. Averaged the third-most tackles in the AFL, behind Jarrod Berry and Rory Laird and equal with Matt Rowell. Delivered St Kilda fans an early Christmas present with a five-year contract extension last December and is popular inside the four walls for helping youngsters review their games. Polled the club‘s most Brownlow Medal votes (13) and placed third in the best-and-fairest. The Saints were 6-3 and had beaten Geelong when Steele got injured and the wheels started to wobble. In the conversation along with Fraser Gehrig as the best recruit in club history. He is Batman at St Kilda, but he desperately needs a Robin.

10. DAN HANNEBERY

Age: 31 Games: 226 RetiredA fitting farewell when he was carried off by Sydney‘s Josh Kennedy and Steele after a round 23 clash against the club he won a premiership with. Champion player and his work behind the scenes at Moorabbin was valuable. However not even a trip to Germany, which Hannebery helped fund, could fix his ailing body and 18 games in four years at St Kilda was hugely disappointing. The $800,000 per season contract never worked while players including premiership defender Trent Rivers, Chad Warner, Noah Cumberland and Harry Jones were available at the future pick St Kilda traded out to land Hannebery.

11. HUNTER CLARK

Age: 23 Games: 68 Signed to: 2023

St Kilda declared it wanted to “squeeze the absolute best out of Hunter in 2023 and beyond” on the first day of trade period, yet by the final day it was happy to trade him. North Melbourne offered a second and third-round pick for Clark, but the Saints asked to swap him and their No. 9 selection for the No. 3 pick. Clark wanted to get to Arden St, but the deal fell over and he must return to Moorabbin for the final year of his contract. The Mount Martha boy who grew up playing saxophone and guitar while being fascinated with jungle animals has missed 23 games in the past two years through injury. Clark regressed this season — per 100 minutes of game time his disposals dropped 17 per cent and his marks 35 per cent compared to last year.
Max King endured a rollercoaster ride with the scoreboard.
Max King endured a rollercoaster ride with the scoreboard.

12. MAX KING

Age: 22 Games: 60 Signed to: 2026

King boasted the league‘s fifth-highest win rate in one-on-one contests this season and was targeted inside 50m a whopping 173 times, which was second only to Essendon’s Peter Wright in the home-and-away season. Not many 22-year-olds can kick 50 goals however he also punched through 41 behinds and wore plenty of public punches. Grant Thomas whacked his body language, saying: “He sooks and mopes around. He does it even when the team is winning, which means he’s got high pride for his own performance. But if he’s not playing well and the team is he doesn’t seem to get captured up in that vibe with the rest of the team”. Wayne Carey also lined him up, saying King stood in one deep spot like it was school football. Then, when King choked in round 22 to finish with 0.5 under the Friday night lights and with St Kilda’s finals hopes on the line, he was targeted from everywhere. So, too, was the club’s refusal to let Matthew Lloyd straighten up his set-shots. But insiders say this kid is doing the work, and nine days later King had 5.0 against grand finalist Sydney. He was kicking them from everywhere. Left foot, right foot, around the corner, and he also fired through 6.0 against the Crows at Adelaide Oval. But King’s four-goal second-half in the gutsy win in the west against finalist Fremantle stands tallest.

13. RYAN BYRNES

Age: 21 Games: 28 Signed to: 2023Grew up around the corner from Moorabbin and spent plenty of time in the gym when he was hamstrung after some sound advice from fellow injured player Jarryn Geary. Flashes of speed and fast feet but while he banked 11 match payments this season, the youngster only got on the ground in six of those because he was often chosen as the medi-sub.

14. JARRYN GEARY

Age: 33 Games: 207 Retired

Joel Selwood‘s junior mate was in Geelong’s rooms after last month’s grand final and it’s remarkable to think that 136 players were drafted before Geary in 2006, yet he was one of the last standing. Veteran recruiter John Beveridge plucked Geary with pick 58 in the rookie draft and 11 years later he replaced Nick Riewoldt as St Kilda captain. Fiercely loyal and widely respected but sadly failed by injuries for the past four seasons.

15. JACK BILLINGS

Age: 27 Games: 152 Signed to: 2025

Won 20 disposals in four of his seven full games this season and also booted goals in four of them. But it was a middling season for Billings, who also played four VFL games, which was more appearances for Sandringham then he‘d had for the previous seven years. Would Billings be better served to play as a small forward rather than on the wing? In 2017 he had 71 shots from that position. Another player with trade currency who some Saints greats have suggested would be worth cashing in.

16. DAN BUTLER

Age: 26 Games: 105 Signed to: 2024

Only six small forwards in the AFL were rated elite for forward-half pressure and tackles by Champion Data this season, and Butler was one. He remains a very good pressure player although he hasn‘t quite been able to replicate his stunning form from 2020 or in 2017, when Butler became a Richmond premiership player.
St Kilda was ranked No. 3 for pressure after round 9 before it fell away like a sandcastle at high tide. Butler remained strong
St Kilda was ranked No. 3 for pressure after round 9 before it fell away like a sandcastle at high tide. Butler remained strong

17. MARCUS WINDHAGER

Age: 19 Games: 18 Signed to: 2025

Named St Kilda’s best emerging player, Windhager took the wind out of some of the stars of the competition in his first campaign. The teenager kept it tight in tagging roles on Mitch Duncan (eight disposals in 41 minutes), Adam Saad (16 in 57), Jai Newcombe (seven in a half), Lachie Neale (15 in a match) and Chad Warner (15 in 80). That’s a sweet set of numbers and sums up the concentration and commitment this kid brings. Windhager stamped himself as a shutdown specialist, but expect him to evolve into a midfielder-forward who uses his legs to power out of congestion. He’s not Scott Pendlebury, but it would be remiss not to mention that he also has a basketball background. Not bad for a pick in the 40s.

18. PADDY RYDER

Age: 34 Games: 281 Retired

The game hasn‘t produced too many Indigenous ruckmen and Ryder was spectacular at his craft. Remember that flick over the back to Robbie Gray? Of course Saints fans do. How about his tap to Billings or ability to jump over most opponents at centre bounce? Ryder’s importance to St Kilda was emboldened with every minute he missed and he was the dominant player in the club’s biggest win since the 2010 preliminary final — the 2020 elimination final against Western Bulldogs.

19. ROWAN MARSHALL

Age: 26 Games: 86 Signed to: 2027

The Saints toyed with the idea of making a play for dual All-Australian Brodie Grundy to replace Ryder before deciding to make Marshall their main man. It‘s a big year for the big Saint in 2023. Ro the rookie pick is 26 and fresh off a five-year contract extension. His game against Hawthorn in round 20, where Marshall had 30 disposals and nine marks without Ryder or Tom Campbell alongside him, showed how influential he can be as the sole ruckman.
Dougal Howard had a poor return when in a one-on-one contest.
Dougal Howard had a poor return when in a one-on-one contest.

20. DOUGAL HOWARD

Age: 26 Games: 102 Signed to: 2024

Somewhat surprisingly, Howard had the AFL‘s sixth-worst loss rate of the top 50 players to have defended a one-on-one contest. That showed he was getting out-marked by key forwards or giving away a free kick too often. Wonder if Zaine Cordy’s arrival tempts the Saints to throw Howard forward at times next season.

21. BEN LONG

Age: 25 Games: 79 Traded to Gold Coast

Long showed signs of becoming the A-grader St Kilda has been longing for in his final game for the club. He polled 10 coaches votes and two Brownlow Medal votes after recording 27 disposals, 17 marks and 13 intercept possessions against Sydney. Ratten hoped it would fuel confidence for pre-season. But that summer will be spent at Metricon Stadium instead of Moorabbin after Long sought a trade to Gold Coast. Long played four of his first six games as a defender this season before being thrown forward at times. But at the Suns he‘ll be based behind the ball and it is imperative St Kilda uses pick 32, which it received in the trade, wisely six years after it drafted Long at No. 25.

22. JACK HIGGINS

Age: 23 Games: 80 Signed to: 2023

Higgins’ goal average ranked ninth in the AFL for all small forwards and he booted a career-best 30 goals. There was a scary concussion episode in round 9 for the boy who has undergone two bouts of brain surgery, but he bounced back from that in a month. However he was called selfish at times and was dropped to the VFL after the club’s embarrassing loss to Essendon. Opened the season with 0.4 and then responded to fierce criticism with 4.2 the next week. Is he a tease or a terrific small forward? Working with Dr Ben Robbins, the club’s head of mental health and wellbeing, has helped him control his breathing and stay present as he prepares for set-shots.
Lifelong Saints fan Jack Higgins was traded in 2020.
Lifelong Saints fan Jack Higgins was traded in 2020.

23. JACK BYTEL

Age: 22 Games: 16 Signed to: 2023

Foot, concussion and soreness problems hampered Bytel‘s fourth AFL season, but he showed enough promise to sign a contract for 2023. While the fan favourite failed to play an AFL game, Bytel knows how to win a clearance averaged 114 ranking points from 12 VFL outings. His final two games were his best. Bytel signed off for Sandringham with 29 disposals, 14 clearances and 10 tackles, backed up by 28 disposals, 12 clearances and 12 tackles.

24. MITCH OWENS

Age: 19 Games: 7 Signed to: 2025

Saints recruiters got nervous last year. This 191cm midfielder, who was in their Next Generation Academy, got a late call-up for Vic Metro against Vic Country when a player was sick — and starred with 29 disposals and a goal. Then, in games of school footy, he would often chalk up 40 disposals and four goals. St Kilda’s nerves stemmed from the AFL rewriting the rules for NGA prospects last year, which meant clubs were unable to match bids if they came in the first 20 picks. Luckily for the Saints, Owens slipped through to No. 33 and they were able to match Sydney‘s bid to secure him. Brave boy who is a strong and silent type although Owens needs to brush up on his foot skills.

25. DEAN KENT

Age: 28 Games: 100 RetiredFarewell match in round 23 got Kent to 100 games, but it was a painful finish for the punchy runner. Kent fractured his thumb against the Swans and was told to strap it up and keep fighting for the final quarter of his AFL career. Ratten rated his raw pace but after 37 games in four years you wonder whether the Saints should‘ve been investing in youth instead of recycled players such as Kent, who only lifted the club to one finals appearance.

26. JOSH BATTLE

Age: 24 Games: 77 Signed to: 2024

The boy who made his AFL debut on a Friday night as a year 12 student during school holidays has become St Kilda‘s Mr Fix It. Remember his fourth quarter against GWS ruckman Braydon Preuss? Battle gave away 17kg and 13cm but battled admirably, although he finally looks to have found his place as a defender. The bloke who once bowled Test opener Will Pucovski was floated as a trade target 12 months ago but signed a two-year extension late this season, in which he played a career-best 21 games.
Some at the Saints privately say Josh Battle has only recently scratched the surface of his talent.
Some at the Saints privately say Josh Battle has only recently scratched the surface of his talent.

27. OSCAR ADAMS

Age: 19 Games: 0 Signed to: 2023

The Saints went searching for a key defender after Jake Carlisle and Oscar Clavarino departed and they traded up in the 2021 draft to add Adams. Arriving at 197cm but just 83kg, he is going to take time. There weren‘t many key defenders in that draft, but there was a lot to like about Adams’ rate of improvement. The South Australian travelled four hours (one-way) from Mount Gambier to play for Glenelg under-18s and after starting as a ruck-forward he was deployed as a defender in the national carnival. The SA coaches loved his athleticism, courage and size. Signing Zaine Cordy should help shelter Adams so he isn’t exposed prematurely.

28. TIM MEMBREY

Age: 28 Games: 153 Signed to: 2024

Membrey has probably gone backwards on the back of King‘s rise, simply because the big fella is such an obvious focal point. How do you not kick it to the 202cm bloke with outstretched arms wearing No. 12? While King was targeted inside 50m on 173 occasions this season, Membrey was their next most popular forward … with just 74 entries directed his way. But Membrey’s retention rate from his kicks going inside 50m was ranked No. 9 in the AFL and so he was able to do some serious damage as the deliverer. A picture of consistency, Membrey has kicked more than 30 goals in six-straight seasons for the Saints with the exclusion of 2020, which featured shortened games and a shortened season.

29. JIMMY WEBSTER

Age: 29 Games: 133 Signed to: 2023

Last year Webster was unlucky to miss All-Australian squad selection, having kept Tom Papley, Charlie Cameron and Toby Greene goalless. It followed a cruel run of injury that restricted him to just eight games in 2019-2020. Webster stepped into Ben Paton‘s role as a lockdown defender in 2021 and excelled while this year he got a clean run at it until his hamstring went ping in round 22. But he had done enough to ink a one-year extension and 150 games are suddenly in sight for the much-loved prankster who once tricked Daniel McKenzie into dipping a chocolate brownie in barbecue sauce. Fell out of the best-and-fairest top 10 in 2022 and, like many Saints, 2023 shapes as a critical season for his career.

30. MATTHEW ALLISON

Age: 20 Games: 0 Signed to: 2024

Natural goalkicker was being reprogrammed into a defender last year, but in 2022 he played on the VFL wing because of his strong running power. Allison shows flashes but the concern from the Saints is that he goes missing for large periods, evidenced by registering 10 or fewer disposals in nine VFL games. His best performance was 2.1 and 14 touches against Frankston, when he rotated between the forward line and wing. The Saints saw enough to sign him up until 2024 before this season had started.

31. JARROD LIENERT

Age: 28 Games: 34 Delisted

The 195cm defender can play on talls and smalls but might have played his last AFL game. Lienert was signed in March, securing the last spot on St Kilda‘s list, but was delisted on Tuesday. Coffield’s ACL injury gave Lienert his chance and Gallagher said he exceeded expectations. But at 28 it was always unlikely that he would be part of St Kilda’s plans going forward. Three or four clubs are considering throwing Lienert a lifeline.

32. MASON WOOD

Age: 29 Games: 93 Signed to: 2023

Former North Melbourne list boss Glenn Luff, who helped analyse St Kilda‘s list as part of its recent review, made headlines when the Roos delisted 11 players in one thud after the 2020 season. Sam Durdin bobbed up at Carlton in the mid-season draft while Majak Daw joined Melbourne without ever playing a game. But Wood was really the only one to keep chipping away at his AFL career. It’s believed Wood’s first coach, Brad Scott, put in a good word to Lethlean to help Wood get a lifeline at Moorabbin. This year he was named best clubman (an award in Robert Harvey’s honour) and played a career-best 19 AFL games. He closed the season with four goals, equalling his career-best return. Considered too talented for the VFL, Wood earned another one-year deal and has helped become a leader, which was evidenced when he gave strong feedback to King after he took a pot shot against Hawthorn instead of searching for a teammate in front of goal.
Don’t underestimate Ben Paton. Returning from a serious injury, he didn’t have the usual zip but he’s a fighter.
Don’t underestimate Ben Paton. Returning from a serious injury, he didn’t have the usual zip but he’s a fighter.

33. BEN PATON

Age: 24 Games: 55 Signed to: 2024

Feared he would never walk again after breaking both bones in his leg in the 2021 pre-season. Paton remembers staring at his bones sticking out at right angles and the gruesome injury wiped his entire season. He didn‘t walk for eight weeks and wondered whether he would ever get back. It was a big blow after Paton pounced on an opportunity as a lockdown defender, blanketing Eddie Betts and Jack Higgins in 2020. Understandably, Paton’s return in 2022 wasn’t back at that level even though he managed 20 games. That zip and carry he had started to develop dipped, as did Paton’s confidence in his own disposal. But you suspect that Paton is the sort of soldier who would flourish under Ross Lyon should he become senior coach.

34. TOM HIGHMORE

Age: 24 Games: 16 Signed to: 2023

Could Highmore become St Kilda‘s new Sam Fisher as an intercepting halfback, particularly if it is under Ross the Boss? The mature-age draftee — he was picked as a 20-year-old — managed only three games this season as he appeared to be beaten by Battle for a place in the backline. Highmore is a strong on-field communicator but sometimes his clumsy style costs free kicks. And he is appropriately named, because more often than not Highmore is flying for high balls and he won 35 and 30 disposals in VFL games this season.

35. JACK SINCLAIR

Age: 27 Games: 141 Signed to: 2024

Hallelujah. Entering this season St Kilda had used 135 draft picks since taking Sam Fisher at No. 55 in 2003 and not one of those players had earned All-Australian honours. Sinclair, a rookie in 2014, snapped that streak when he was awarded a blazer this season. The Saints are slim on stars, but Sinclair sits in that sector. Sinclair had to wait 123 games to poll a Brownlow Medal vote, which finally came this year, alongside that AA recognition and the club‘s best-and-fairest. He was Champion Data’s highest-rated general defender and he plays with beautiful balance. Sinclair’s dancing feet enables him to change direction so quickly and that weaving goal he kicked against Fremantle, threaded wearing the No. 35 and with flowing hair, resembled the great Robert Harvey. But the Saints need more players of Sinclair’s ilk to change their club’s direction.

36. DANIEL MCKENZIE

Age: 26 Games: 73 Signed to: 2023

The Saints went 8-3 in McKenzie‘s full matches this season and that’s no coincidence. The quiet character played as a defensive wingman and his sacrificial running to get back and help out the backs helped ignite the hot first half of the season. Those inside St Kilda’s weekly reviews said the coaches would often point to McKenzie’s selfless efforts. One of those, a corridor spoil against Hawthorn at the MCG, set up a straightforward goal for Butler. McKenzie looked gone two years ago — he was probably the last player on the list — but was saved by signing a contract for 2021-2022 back in 2019. Another calf tear curtailed his 2022 campaign and McKenzie has never played more than 15 games in a season.

37. LEO CONNOLLY

Age: 21 Games: 7 Signed to: 2023

The AFL’s only Leo couldn’t add to his seven senior games in 2022. Last year he burst onto the scene and was taking running bounces before he’d even recorded a disposal. The feedback from his 17 VFL games was that he needs to sharpen his decision making. But the Saints do like his drive from defence and he averaged 19.8 disposals for the Zebras to finish runner-up in the VFL best-and-fairest. Neat on both feet.
The Saints had used the fewest players in the AFL at the start of July and had 18 players line up in 18 or more games this season.
The Saints had used the fewest players in the AFL at the start of July and had 18 players line up in 18 or more games this season.

38. TOM CAMPBELL

Age 30 Games: 56 Signed to: 2023

Campbell has played AFL footy in 10 out of the past 11 seasons, for a grand total of 56 games — 42 for Western Bulldogs, 12 for North Melbourne and two this year for the Saints. That is less than half of the 119 VFL matches he has played. With Paddy Ryder retired the Saints handed Campbell another contract as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency ruckman. He had to earn it, but he was colossal in the VFL. Campbell averaged 37 hit-outs, 21 disposals and eight clearances to win Sandringham‘s best-and-fairest from 12 games. Campbell’s hottest AFL streak came from the clouds in 2013, when he booted nine goals in the final five games under Brendan McCartney to re-sign at the kennel until 2016. The Saints will be hoping they don’t have to call on Campbell often in 2023 because that would likely mean Marshall is missing.

39. DARRAGH JOYCE

Age: 25 Games: 13 Delisted

The junior hurling star for Kilkenny in Ireland is a smoky to sign as a delisted free agent elsewhere after his Saints dream was ended. His bodywork in the VFL helped teammates mark freely at times and in one match he starred with eight intercept marks, despite spending the week sick. The Irishman was an emergency in round 23 to show he ended the season on the edge of selection.

42. MAX HEATH

Age: 20 (on Monday) Games: 0 Signed to: 2024

Max is mates with Mitch Owens and Marcus Windhager, but maximum patience will be required. A concussion late in the year interrupted his momentum while an impressive start to the season was somewhat dampened once rival VFL outfits started to go to school on Heath. The 204cm ruckman has shown signs he might one day make the grade. Heath‘s final VFL performance included nine tackles and three centre clearances.

43. COOPER SHARMAN

Age: 22 Games: 15 Signed to: 2024

Ratten studied vision of Sharman before he was taken in last year‘s mid-season draft and decided he would one day be a defender. But the boy with a big footy IQ has looked more at home in front of the sticks, evidenced by his 12 goals kicked across four consecutive VFL matches. In that burst there were plenty more majors created from Sharman’s sharp pressure creating front-half turnovers, which are like gold in modern footy. Then, Sharman went backwards to go forwards in his career as he cracked Ratten’s side in defence. The 193cm swingman played five-straight AFL games late before missing round 23 through injury. A former GWS Giants’ academy player who is improving his running patterns and is likely to become a maximum impact player, rather than a high possession winner.
Callum Wilkie is heavily underrated for his defensive skills.
Callum Wilkie is heavily underrated for his defensive skills.

44. CALLUM WILKIE

Age: 26 Games: 85 Signed to: 2024

Wilkie might not be a household name, but he has been hurting the stats sheets of handy forwards for a while. In 2022 he never conceded more than two goals to an opponent. Wilkie kept clean sheets against Lance Franklin, Cameron Zurhaar, Jack Gunston, Matt Taberner and Eric Hipwood (twice) while Bayley Fristch, Taylor Walker and Charlie Curnow managed one against him. Jeremy Cameron, hailed by some as the game‘s best player, kicked two goals on Wilkie in the four hours they were opposed this season. Runner-up in the best-and-fairest for St Kilda’s set-and-forget stopper, and don’t be surprised if Cordy helps set Wilkie free to play on third talls and intercept more.

45. JACK PERIS

Age: 18 Games: 0 Signed to: 2023

Cyril Rioli had a big impact on the son of Olympic Games gold medallist Nova Peris and the Category B rookie is a serious athlete. Peris is just 177cm but is a Jack of Hearts because he plays with a big one and tackles with power (10 against Essendon VFL). The task-orientated teen is likely to take his first steps as a small defender and could become a defensive forward, although he was also used on the VFL wings this year. Like Ben Long he boarded at Melbourne Grammar and watching this kid whistle through a 100m or 200m race is a scintillating sight. Peris was once eyeing the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

46. JOSIAH KYLE

Age: 19 Games: 0 Retired

Like Peris, this kid has some serious wheels and it‘s believed GPS data showed Kyle’s top speed in a junior match was the fastest in the 2021 draft. But after only four VFL outings Kyle decided this wasn’t the path for him and left Moorabbin.

47. JACK HAYES

Age: 25 Games: 5 Signed to: 2024

The SANFL recruit is already the answer to a trivia question, having become the first St Kilda player to score a Brownlow Medal vote on debut this century. It was probably the best debut by a Saint since Dean Greig had 39 disposals against Carlton in 1991. Hayes single-handedly swung the match against the Magpies with an unstoppable third-quarter burst. The 25-year-old booted back-to-back goals, plucked intercept marks and chased like his life depended on it. It was 25 years in the making and came off a mini pre-season. The concreter laid the foundations with 93 state games and was best-afield in the past two SANFL grand finals. It was touching for Ratten to guarantee Hayes a contract extension only hours after he ruptured his ACL.

ZAINE CORDY
More Coverage
Who could follow Dogs flag stars out the door in 2023?
List analysis: Every Kangaroos player rated, contract status
List ratings: How good are Bombers kids?

Age: 25 Games: 118 Signed to: 2025 (free agent)

Is Cordy in St Kilda‘s best 22? Or will the Saints stick with Howard, Wilkie Battle as their big backs? The premiership puppy became the first Bulldog to kick a goal in a grand final in 55 years in 2016. That’s because Luke Beveridge suddenly swung Cordy forward at halftime in Geelong late in the season and it worked so well he spent the rest of the season kicking goals instead of stopping them. But the Saints see Cordy as a lockdown defender capable of playing on the No. 1 forward and they like his competitiveness. Cordy spoke to Brett Ratten thinking he would be his new coach and less than two weeks after signing a three-year contract Ratten was sacked.
Inside 50 Newsletter

[SaintPav]

Thanks for posting.

[Life Long Saint]

TLDR

But I read enough to know that any article that focuses on hindsight drafting is poor.
I am sick of the Billings before Bont selection. I'd bet even the Dogs would have taken Billings at 3 in that draft.
And now they're throwing in Clarke and Coffield before Naughton. He was drafted as a key defender!
I'd turn that around and say the Bulldogs develop players better than we do. But most clubs do.

Since Richo left, we have been competitive enough to either make the finals or challenge for them. We've not been anywhere near the lows of Richo under Ratten.
We have our flaws, but we also have our strengths.

Our list lacks a bit of polish. We have the makings of a good team. We have a competitive spine with King, Membrey, Steele, Battle, and Howard. I'd prefer a better CHF, but they're very rare.
I'm bullish about Owens and Windhager as midfielders. We need them to come on and be regular on-ballers.
I like our defence with Wilkie and Sinclair.
If we can sharpen our skills, we'll be a regular finals team.

[Teflon]

TLDR

But I read enough to know that any article that focuses on hindsight drafting is poor.
I am sick of the Billings before Bont selection. I'd bet even the Dogs would have taken Billings at 3 in that draft.
And now they're throwing in Clarke and Coffield before Naughton. He was drafted as a key defender!
I'd turn that around and say the Bulldogs develop players better than we do. But most clubs do.

Since Richo left, we have been competitive enough to either make the finals or challenge for them. We've not been anywhere near the lows of Richo under Ratten.
We have our flaws, but we also have our strengths.

Our list lacks a bit of polish. We have the makings of a good team. We have a competitive spine with King, Membrey, Steele, Battle, and Howard. I'd prefer a better CHF, but they're very rare.
I'm bullish about Owens and Windhager as midfielders. We need them to come on and be regular on-ballers.
I like our defence with Wilkie and Sinclair.
If we can sharpen our skills, we'll be a regular finals team.

Good post
Lots agree with you
As Lethlean said at the presser ….list lacks consistency which is obviously why Lyon appeals

Gringo BF sums it up well I think

**********

I sort of agree. I think Geelong has an ordinary list but with lots of experience and drilled in every scenario. Brisbane has more talent than a lot of the others on that list, Sydney has a lot of youth and is likely to be a very good list with time. The 2022 Richmond side looked worse than ours. Collingwood have an elite backline, very ordinary midfield and a few really good forwards who score easily.

I still think we have more than enough quality and the age profile to be in that 3 to 8 range of sides and with a coach that gets the most out of what we have we should have gone further. Now we have to wait and see how the players that we have respond to Ross Lyon.

It was a soft year and I expect a bit of ladder fluctuation next year as a few solidify and a few drop back. I don't think I'd set a limit on this side with a good coach. We aren't miles off top 4 but need to develop a few to be consistent A graders first.

[skeptic]

Why does the analysis include players to at have already been cut from the list?

Obviously the acknowledge it but it’s weird to include… wonder if there was a word count to hit

[bobmurray]

When you read that article it reads like both Trading and Drafting are not the club's strong suit.

Let's hope the 4 Pillars help correct that.