LEIGH Montagna has declared St Kilda teammates Jack Steven and David Armitage will rise to the top of the AFL's midfield ranks this season.
While the Saints have a host of veterans in the midfield including Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo and himself, Montagna said the club had a stack of young players ready to explode.
"We've got Jack Steven and Dave Armitage who we both expect to become elite midfielders this year," said Montagna, who will miss Saturday' Round 1 game against Gold Coast through suspension.
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Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/u ... z2OY8lIX00Armitage, 24, is entering his seventh season and Steven, who turns 23 on Thursday, his fifth. Montagna praised both players' pre-season form and reckoned each was now in the ''age bracket where they're really ready to break out''.
''They took some big steps last year [but] probably didn't sustain it for the whole year, but we definitely expect them to this year. If they can become elite it takes the pressure off Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo, guys like that.
''We expect them at some stage this year to be getting tagged - we expect them to be going that well.''
Montagna said he was optimistic second-year players Saad and Milera, as well as Sydney recruit Trent Dennis-Lane, could ease the scoring burden on Riewoldt and Milne, who again dominated the Saints' goalkicking last season with 56 and 47 respectively.
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