Every AFL club's squad for the 2027 season is coming together, so how does each team's back, midfield and forward line stack up with their rivals?
We at Zero Hanger will be going through all 18 clubs analysing and ranking them 1-18 across all three thirds of the ground, starting with the backline.
While the draft, delisted free agent signing period and trial spots remain for clubs to recruit players, the majority of each team's starting 23 are in place.
Focusing on the players at their disposal, their style of football in 2026, and with a look forward to Round 1, 2027, this is how we ranked every club 1-18 for its defence.
8. St Kilda
Defenders: Jack Silvagni, Tobie Travaglia, Brad Hill, Hunter Clark, Liam Stocker, Angus Hastie, Alix Tauru, James Barrat, Jack Sinclair, Kobe McDonald, Callum Wilkie, Anthony Caminiti, Eamonn Armstrong, Liam O'Connell
Any Ross Lyon coached side is going to have a strong defensive base and system and the Saints certainly have that.
St Kilda has stars Callum Wilkie and Jack Sinclair, dependable players in Jack Silvagni and Brad Hill while also possessing exciting talent in the likes of Tobie Travaglia and Alix Tauru.
Next season, the club will also welcome Irish wunderkind Kobe McDonald who is an athletic 190cm young gun arriving from Gaelic football.
The Saints were stoic in the back half last season, finishing with the sixth-best points against record in the league.
It will be interesting how much of a hole departing assistant coach Corey Enright will leave at the club. He was the former backline coach-turned head of strategy before returning to his old club Geelong at the end of the season.
The Saints need the likes of Travaglia and Tauru to lift in their third seasons and prove they are not another draft blunder by the club after they paid first-round picks for both.
