St Kilda season preview - Me? I Like Football

[The Hitman]

Thought you'd want to check out our new site's first 2015 season preview, which takes a look at St Kilda.

Genuinely after the thoughts of St Kilda fans and interested in feedback, as well as what the realistic aims for the season from you guys are.

I've posted the whole thing here, sans images, to comply with the your anti-spamming protocols; hopefully that's okay for the mods. I'll let the author know I've posted it here so he can respectively engage, and if you want to see the version on the site you can by clicking here.

2015 season preview: St Kilda

By Rudi Edsall

LAST CAMPAIGN

2014 was a year of pain for St Kilda, the club’s third successive season without finals football following the departure of Ross Lyon as coach at the end of 2011. It got ugly for the Saints: they won just four games, conceded more points than any other team, scored the second fewest points, finished with a dismal percentage of 60.8 and added the club’s 27th wooden spoon to the cutlery drawer.

The struggle wasn’t unexpected though; the Saints have undertaken an almost complete rebuild of the club’s list. The end of 2013 saw several players from the club’s most recent premiership push retire or leave for other clubs, and the administration has embarked on an aggressive promotion of youth.

Five young Saints made their AFL debuts last season, among them the exciting talents Jack Billings and Luke Dunstan, while Jack Steven stepped up in his fifth season as the new leader in the St Kilda midfield.

Despite their last placing, there were a few bright spots on the field in 2014: a stirring come-from-behind win against Essendon in round five and a comprehensive dismantling of finals-bound Fremantle in round 18 chief among them.

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER

St Kilda’s transitional phase was underlined by their off-season activities: club legend Lenny Hayes led the retirees, while stalwarts Clinton Jones and James Gwilt were delisted. Adam Schneider was another delistee, but along with Ahmed Saad – whose 18-month doping suspension has finished – came back to the club through the rookie draft. Tim Membrey arrived at St Kilda as a free agent after being delisted by Sydney.

After allowing Ben McEvoy to leave in 2013, the Saints were again involved in one of the more baffling trades in 2014, with callow young tall Rhys Stanley going to Geelong in exchange for pick 21. This left the Saints with three picks inside the first 22, including the all important first pick, with which they baulked at pre-draft favourite and ready-made midfielder Christian Petracca, preferring sticky-handed tall forward Paddy McCartin. St Kilda will already be feeling a measure of vindication (and relief) about this decision after Petracca tore his ACL during Melbourne’s pre-season.

The Saints have some injury concerns of their own, meanwhile, with Farren Ray and Arryn Siposs set to miss at least the first half of the season with hamstring and shoulder injuries respectively, while young midfielder Seb Ross will miss the start of the season recovering from a torn hamstring.

THE CHALLENGE

The main objective for St Kilda in 2015 will be another season of development for the young blood. Players like Blake Acres, Jack Billings and Billy Longer will only benefit from another season exposed to the demands of senior football.

Of concern for the Saints will be that, in their four wins last season, significant contributions came from the older generation. Skipper Nick Riewoldt was hugely influential in each of the victories, while the Fremantle win was inspired by Lenny Hayes’ mid-week announcement of his retirement.

To be able to sneak some wins along the way would be nice, but the challenge for St Kilda this year will be continuing to wean the younger generation off the output of the veterans while giving them opportunities against the game’s best. St Kilda fans will be hoping the kids are quick learners.

THE COACH

Given the circumstances surrounding Alan Richardson’s senior coaching career so far, it is difficult to make a serious assessment of his coaching performance. He’s certainly backed the kids, but with the direction in which St Kilda’s list is going, he didn’t have much choice.

The nature of some of the Saints’ wins last year is instructive though: coming from behind against Essendon suggests the list isn’t short of confidence, and keeping the boot on Fremantle’s throat through the entire match shows that they’re not going to get stage fright when they leap out to a lead against good sides.

Richardson has also managed to foster a good relationship with the senior players at St Kilda; a failure to do so cost his predecessor Scott Watters the job. If Richardson can continue to use the leadership and experience of the senior players to shepherd the junior players, he should be around to see this rebuilding project through.

THE STAR

The star for St Kilda is clearly their captain, best player and talisman Nick Riewoldt. Riewoldt is the Phar Lap of football, with a heart twice the size of a regular man’s and the stamina to match.

Despite his glittering CV – five All-Australian selections, six club best and fairest wins and the AFL MVP award in 2004 – Riewoldt’s career has, at times, resembled a Shakespearean tragedy: heartbreaking grand final losses, injury issues, goal-kicking yips and, most recently, the tragic death of his younger sister.

Given the sense of stoic resilience that he’s displayed through all this adversity, it fittingly completes the sad narrative arc that Riewoldt would end his career ploughing a lone furrow for the worst side in the league.

Last year Riewoldt led the league for marks and kicked 49 goals, the most by any Saint. He was highly influential in all four wins, kicking at least three goals in each, and any positive results they pick up in 2015 will likely have a similar heavy reliance on Roo’s profound influence.

ONE TO WATCH

2015 should be a big year for young Tasmanian Jimmy Webster. A mid-size defender with pace and an elite kick, his skill set would be welcome in any AFL side, particularly one in transition like St Kilda. Picked at 42 in the 2011 draft, he managed 11 games apiece in 2013 and 2014 and will be looking to expand on that this year, especially with James Gwilt now plying his trade in Essendon colours.

More than talent, Webster’s issues have been away from the field. He was overwhelmed by his first pre-season and consequently struggled for fitness all through 2012. Since then, his childhood home burnt down as he was poised to make his debut and he served an intra-club suspension after hitting the grog while back home on a bye weekend.

Webster will likely miss the early rounds of the season with a finger injury, but with another pre-season and hopefully a little more wisdom under his belt, he should be ready to own the rebounding half back role for St Kilda this year.

IN THE GUN

Given the youth of the Saints’ list, there aren’t too many players who are in need of a career-defining season. An argument could have been made for Farren Ray, but with a shoulder injury that will rob him of about half of the season, that would be mean spirited.

Instead, our gaze turns to tall forward Tom Lee, who needs to stake a claim for a permanent senior spot this season. Lee was originally drafted by Adelaide in 2008, but never debuted and ended up playing for Claremont in the WAFL. It was there that he developed his craft enough to be recruited by St Kilda in 2012.

Since then Lee has appeared only intermittently for St Kilda (13 games in two seasons), with Rhys Stanley preferred at full forward. Now, at the age of 24, Lee should be physically mature enough to take the role on and, with Stanley traded away, 2015 is the year he needs to stamp his authority on the position. He could be in competition with gun recruit Patrick McCartin for a spot, but Lee could get the nod due to his age or Alan Richardson might opt for a three-pronged attack.

BEST 22

B: Sean Dempster – Luke Delaney – Jarryn Geary
HB: Jimmy Webster – Sam Fisher – Shane Savage
C: Leigh Montagna – David Armitage – Jack Newnes
HF: Josh Bruce – Nick Riewoldt – Jack Billings
F: Ahmed Saad – Tom Lee – Tim Membrey
FOLL: Billy Longer – Maverick Weller – Jack Steven
INT: Patrick McCartin – Luke Dunstan – Eli Templeton – Blake Acres

THE VERDICT

2015 will be another hard slog for St Kilda; they simply don’t have the class to compete consistently at AFL level at the moment. It’s hard to see them winning any games outside of sneaking a few from the teams around them, and they should finish towards the bottom of the ladder.

There is light at the end of the tunnel with the list rebuild continuing unabated. Another year of short-term pain is necessary for Saints fans in the search for some long-term gain.

OUR PREDICTION

We have the Saints collecting a 28th wooden spoon, finishing last in 2015.

[saint6709]

Better re write the bit about Ray

[saint6709]

Better re write the bit about Ray

And the bit about Steven stepping up - that was2013

[MC Gusto]

I think it's a great bloody article that shows a tremendous depth of research. Picking Webster for a player to watch demonstrates this as it would have been far easier to list a Dunstan or billings

Good stuff!

[saintspremiers]

Pammy at FF in our best 22

[noob]

Good read.
Siposs, Simpkin & Markworth would be in the gun this year. I feel like Bruce can make a good contribution this year, so he is one to watch for me.

[Shmoses]

Hey guys, I'm the author of this piece. Happy to listen and respond to your feedback!

Better re write the bit about Ray

Yep will wear this. I must have mixed him up with Siposs - frustrating as I'd gotten them the right way round in the summer review section.

Pammy at FF in our best 22

I'd said he needed a big year so I figured it only fair to give him a crack! Obviously it's contingent on him stepping up.

Siposs, Simpkin & Markworth would be in the gun this year.

I considered Siposs but, like Ray, felt it would be too mean-spirited given the amount of time he'll miss through injury.

[Con Gorozidis]

Hey guys, I'm the author of this piece. Happy to listen and respond to your feedback!

Better re write the bit about Ray

Yep will wear this. I must have mixed him up with Siposs - frustrating as I'd gotten them the right way round in the summer review section.

Pammy at FF in our best 22

I'd said he needed a big year so I figured it only fair to give him a crack! Obviously it's contingent on him stepping up.

Siposs, Simpkin & Markworth would be in the gun this year.

I considered Siposs but, like Ray, felt it would be too mean-spirited given the amount of time he'll miss through injury.

Good work Shmoses. If you arent a Saints fan thats a good effort and pretty accurate overall. Hard to argue with much there.

[kosifantutti]

Good effort. Hickey would be well ahead of Longer for first ruck.

[Scoop]

I would have Tom Hickey ahead of Billy Longer as #1 ruckman in our best 22....otherwise, it's not too far off the mark.


**Beat me to it kosi....

[The Hitman]

Thanks for the heads up on the Farren Ray mix up - that's been edited on the site.

[Shmoses]

Good work Shmoses. If you arent a Saints fan thats a good effort and pretty accurate overall. Hard to argue with much there.

I'm not but a good mate of mine is and was very helpful. Thanks for all the feedback guys, particularly on the best 22 - that was probably the hardest bit.

[Stephen Theodore]

Good effort. Hickey would be well ahead of Longer for first ruck.

For sure, and would've thought Gilbert would be in best 22

[saynta]

Good read.
Siposs, Simpkin & Markworth would be in the gun this year. I feel like Bruce can make a good contribution this year, so he is one to watch for me.

I think he got Sipposs and Ray mixed up.

Saad isn't in our top 22. He's a rookie anyway.

I agree with the Gilbert comment too.

[Life Long Saint]

Good read.
Siposs, Simpkin & Markworth would be in the gun this year. I feel like Bruce can make a good contribution this year, so he is one to watch for me.

I think he got Sipposs and Ray mixed up.

Saad isn't in our top 22. He's a rookie anyway.

Hey guys, I'm the author of this piece. Happy to listen and respond to your feedback!

Better re write the bit about Ray

Yep will wear this. I must have mixed him up with Siposs - frustrating as I'd gotten them the right way round in the summer review section.

Yep...He did mix Ray with Siposs.

Totally Agree on Saad...Hard to have a rookie in the best 22.

And agree with all the others on the ruck. Hickey is streets ahead of anyone else for the number 1 ruck spot.

[fingers]

Great effort. Lots of work went in to that.

[saynta]

Good read.
Siposs, Simpkin & Markworth would be in the gun this year. I feel like Bruce can make a good contribution this year, so he is one to watch for me.

I think he got Sipposs and Ray mixed up.

Saad isn't in our top 22. He's a rookie anyway.

Hey guys, I'm the author of this piece. Happy to listen and respond to your feedback!

Better re write the bit about Ray

Yep will wear this. I must have mixed him up with Siposs - frustrating as I'd gotten them the right way round in the summer review section.

Yep...He did mix Ray with Siposs.

Totally Agree on Saad...Hard to have a rookie in the best 22.

And agree with all the others on the ruck. Hickey is streets ahead of anyone else for the number 1 ruck spot.

Yes, I forgot about the Hickey omission.

[Animal Enclosure]

Good work Shmoses. If you arent a Saints fan thats a good effort and pretty accurate overall. Hard to argue with much there.

I'm not but a good mate of mine is and was very helpful. Thanks for all the feedback guys, particularly on the best 22 - that was probably the hardest bit.

I heard a whisper that LP put you onto Webster as the one 'to watch'... maybe Billings was originally the plan?

[FQF]

Good fair summary - well written.

[St DAC]

Apart from the Hickey and Gilbert omissions there's not a lot to argue with. Looks like another building (AKA not_many_wins) year to me.

[Shmoses]

I heard a whisper that LP put you onto Webster as the one 'to watch'... maybe Billings was originally the plan?

Correct, and I could've written heaps about Billings - but as he (and you guys) noted, Webster's the much more interesting case!

[White Winmar]

I think it's a great bloody article that shows a tremendous depth of research. Picking Webster for a player to watch demonstrates this as it would have been far easier to list a Dunstan or billings

Good stuff!

So well researched that we just found out Farren doesn't have a major hamstring injury, as has been widely reported in the media, but a shoulder injury. Thanks for clearing that up. Usual standard.