As the Saints enter yet another year with slim finals hopes and a desperate fan base, the need for this team to click on-field and find consistency has never been starker. The controversial sacking of Brett Ratten and re-installation of Ross Lyon as head coach highlights this club's ambition to finally find their brand.

The Saints have played finals just twice since 2011, ironically the first coming after Lyon left the club to join Fremantle, and have either wallowed near the bottom or floated in no man's land around ninth or tenth on the ladder ever since. Time is running out for them to turn things around after an aggressive trade strategy failed to make them contenders.

The pre-season is not off to an ideal start, losing key spearhead Max King to a shoulder reconstruction in December, followed closely by the loss of cult figure Jack Hayes just weeks later for at least two months with a stress fracture in his foot.

All hope is not lost however, some green shoots have appeared in recent seasons in the form of their draftees. The likes of King, Marcus Windhager, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Mitchito Owens have all shown promising signs and look set to be long-term AFL players.

Most encouragingly, Windhager and Owens have undertaken extra training in the off-season with legend Lenny Hayes coming in to ensure they reach their potential and contribute as more than just role players.

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With so few players on the St Kilda list viewed as elite, it is becoming imperative for the club to develop some of their recent high draft picks into 'A graders' to allow them to compete with the best clubs in the competition.

With that in mind, their best 23 should reflect their need to develop while remaining competitive. This team is the ideal lineup without injuries so Max King and Jack Hayes both make the cut when fully fit.

Ins: Zaine Cordy (free agent, Western Bulldogs), Mattaes Phillipou (draft), James Van Es (draft), Ollie Hotton (draft), Isaac Keeler (draft), Angus McLennan (category B rookie), Liam Stocker (pre-season supplemental selection period)

Outs: Jarryn Geary (retired), Dan Hannebery (retired), Darragh Joyce (delisted), Dean Kent (retired), Jarrod Lienert (delisted), Ben Long (trade, Gold Coast), Paddy Ryder (retired)

Defenders

Perhaps the Saints' weakest link is their backline, where a lack of height and genuine talent has hurt them over recent years. Picking a back six for the Saints is tough, not because of an overwhelming array of quality options, but more so because there are perhaps just three locks.

Dougal Howard is the tallest defender on the list and while at times capable, he is by no means elite. While he is great for a spoil, he can be found out of position and at times, lets his emotions get the best of him. That being said, he's the best option the Saints have for the AFL's power forwards, so he's a lock.

Callum Wilkie and Jack Sinclair pick themselves, they are two of a very small pool of players who reliably perform every week for the Saints and are likely the only two who would be a realistic chance to be picked in the backline for the competition's top sides.

Both are efficient users of the ball, with Sinclair earning All-Australian honours in 2022, while Wilkie rarely has his colours lowered by the opposition's more dangerous forwards and has proven a bargain mature-age recruit for the Saints.

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has the best kicking skills at the club, something that has been sorely missing for close to a decade and which Lyon will be keen to integrate into his game plan. He is currently being trialled in the backline for the Saints in training and match simulation so it seems fair to assume he may lock down a spot on the half-back flank.

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The interesting selection dilemma comes down to Josh Battle or Zaine Cordy at centre half back. Cordy is taller and a premiership player, which would see him considered for those clubs with two big key forwards.

However, the Saints love Battle's athleticism, versatility and toughness, so for now he gets the nod. Ben Paton is the best option as the back pocket to play on the smalls unless Liam Stocker makes good on his second chance at the Saints. Both are tough, no-nonsense types who can operate as the lock-down player on dangerous small forwards.

In terms of those waiting in the wings, Nick Coffield is progressing well from his ACL reconstruction and is almost back into full training, hence his selection as the sub. In addition to Coffield, Jimmy Webster is experienced and tough and will be a handy depth player for the Saints.

Midfielders

The midfield is fairly straightforward at the selection table for St Kilda, club captain and talisman Jack Steele leads a solid, if not spectacular bunch who can compete with the best on occasion, but have found it tough to be consistent.

Steele is the star, admired around the competition for his ferocity, skill and demeanour. A dual All-Australian, the Saints were looking like finals certainties in 2022 before he went down with a shoulder injury and missed almost two months.

From there, the season derailed without their fearless leader, losing five of their next eight games. He's returned to pre-season noticeably lighter, hinting at a desire to be at his absolute best in 2023.

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He's not the only one putting in extra work in the off-season, with youngster Marcus Windhager undertaking self-driven, extra pre-season sessions to cement his spot in the midfield. Entering just his second year, the tyro is looking to take his game to another level and be seen as more than just a tagger.

Rounding out the starting on-ball brigade is the in-and-under Brad Crouch, a dependable contested ball magnet who has been more than serviceable for the Saints since his move over from Adelaide.

Perhaps the most crucial piece of the Saints puzzle however is Rowan Marshall, the mature-age ruck-forward that they plucked from obscurity and whose contested marking and work around the grounds saw him dominate prior to the arrival of Paddy Ryder. With Ryder now retired, the club will be praying Marshall remains fit and returns to his best.

High-priced recruit Bradley Hill is being re-instated to his favoured position on the wing, where he won a best and fairest under Lyon at Fremantle. It's hoped the reunion with Lyon will finally see the Saints get the best out of Hill, who despite being a model clubman, has not yet delivered his best footy consistently.

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On the other wing is perhaps a contentious selection, however Daniel McKenzie has proven that while he may not be a high-profile player, his pressure, tackling and intensity are often crucial to the Saints' chances of creating turnovers. Should he not get the nod, Mason Wood is his likely replacement.

In this area of the ground the Saints also have multiple best and fairest winner Sebastian Ross to call on for depth, while they will be desperate to finally get a run of games into the highly-rated Hunter Clark.

Clark's horrific luck with injury has robbed him of continuity and having also worked closely with Lenny Hayes this pre-season, there is renewed hope he'll cement a spot in the club's midfield and develop into the prospect they know he can be.

Related: St Kilda reportedly invite Northern Knights product Anthony Caminiti to train for AFL list spot

The like of Zak Jones, Jack Bytel and Ryan Byrnes are all useful depth players who will be desperately pushing their claims. Bytel and Byrnes were even name-checked by Steele in recent weeks as players who had taken their training standards up a level.

Forwards

Perhaps the most problematic area for the Saints in recent times has been their forward line. Since the departure of legend Nick Riewoldt, the Saints have been shockingly inconsistent in attack, where poor kicking and a lack of pressure and aerial presence has continually left them hamstrung against better opposition.

The injection of Paddy Ryder as a wildcard in the forward 50 worked for a time but it was only ever a stop-gap, and while the inspirational star steered the Saints to their first finals win in almost a decade, he can no longer be called upon.

Max King is their great hope and while he looks like he could dominate the competition for the next decade, he must correct his accuracy issues to truly get to that next level. There's no doubting he has the talent, it will come down to how well Lyon and co work with him on the mental side of his game.

Alongside him is the dependable Tim Membrey, who can cause headaches for opposition matchups with his ability to play taller than his height would suggest, yet has experienced similar issues with accuracy in front of goal. The Saints will be hoping that youngster Mitchito Owens can cause similar problems.

A tall utility (191cm) with plenty of x-factor, he's proven he has no problems with the physical side of the game. In his seven games in 2022 he averaged 4.1 tackles, something that will likely see him get the nod over Jack Higgins, who despite having an ability to hit the scoreboard, does not bring the same level of pressure.

While Higgins averaged 1.7 goals per game in 2022, he could only muster 1.2 tackles. Lyon is renowned for wanting his players to bring pressure and intensity to the table and those kind of numbers will leave him less than enthused.

Related: Every AFL team's best 23 for '23: Western Bulldogs

Daniel Butler on the other hand, is exactly what Lyon will be looking for in his small forwards, having averaged exactly a goal and four tackles a game in 2022. However, that alone won't be enough to guarantee his spot, so Butler will need to stay sharp.

Perhaps the most interesting players in the Saints forward line however, are Jade Gresham and Jack Hayes. Both have a cult-like standing with the St Kilda faithful, Gresham for his ability to pull off the unthinkable in front of goal and Hayes for his athleticism, goal nous and larrikin nature. If both are fit, the forward line takes a remarkably different shape for this club.

Jack Hayes during the 2022 AFL Round 1 match between St Kilda and Collingwood (Photo by Cameron Grimes / Zero Digital Media)

With Jack Billings still battling for full fitness, he can't be counted on to be in this club's best 23 at this stage, while Mattaes Phillipou has seemingly sky-high potential and energy to inject into this St Kilda forward line, yet locking him in at this stage may be too much, too soon.

Best 23

FB: Ben Paton, Dougal Howard, Callum Wilkie
HB: Jack Sinclair, Josh Battle, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
C: Bradley Hill, Brad Crouch, Daniel McKenzie
HF: Jade Gresham, Jack Hayes, Mitchito Owens
FF: Daniel Butler, Max King, Tim Membrey
FOLL: Rowan Marshall, Jack Steele, Marcus Windhager
INT: Hunter Clark, Sebastian Ross, Zaine Cordy, Jack Higgins
SUB: Nick Coffield

Emerg: Jack Billings, Mattaes Phillipou,ย Mason Wood, Jimmy Webster

1 COMMENT

  1. I’m a Saints fan and this absolutely bang on I reckon. Only change would be giving Mason Wood a look for Higgins or Butler.

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