Legendary Saints midfielder Lenny Hayes has been promoted to St Kilda's General Manager of Football ahead of the 2026 season.
Hayes was in place to be the club's midfield coach for their VFL side in 2026, as well as a development coach with the senior program, but discussions with Saints president Andrew Bassat and CEO Carl Dilena in December saw him become the favoured person to land the vacant role.
The 2010 Norm Smith medallist replaces the recently departed David Misson, who had been club's footy boss since 2022, while also allowing Ross Lyon to resume his role as senior coach. However, Lyon is expected to continue to oversee coaching and list management duties.
Hayes expressed his passion that will drive him in the key off-field position on Thursday.
“Having spent more than half my life working inside football programs, I am really excited to step into this role,” Hayes said.
“I am looking forward to working closely with Carl and Ross and doing everything I can to help maintain a high-performance environment.
“Football programs are only as strong as the people within them, so my focus will be on ensuring our staff, and in turn our players, are in the best position to succeed on and off the field."
Hayes played 297 games for the Saints between 1999 and 2014 and won three best-and-fairest medals, a Norm Smith Medal in the drawn 2010 Grand Final, and claimed three All-Australian blazers during his playing career.
He spent nearly a decade away from the club following his retirement, which included a stint at GWS as an assistant coach, but returned to Moorabbin ahead of the 2023 season.
"Lenny's career is so closely woven into the story of St Kilda, and we are thrilled to see him begin this new chapter with us," CEO Carl Dilena said.
"Anyone who has had the privilege of working with Lenny understands his natural ability to build strong, trusting relationships. His calm and measured approach, combined with his competitiveness and leadership, extends far beyond his achievements on the field and is a perfect fit for this role.
"His experience as a player, coach and now administrator brings a rare depth of perspective and care to his decision making, and we are excited to see that come to life."
