St Kilda have confirmed senior coach Brett Ratten will remain at Moorabbin until the end of 2024 season after the two parties agreed to a new two-year deal.
Ratten has amassed a total of 32 wins from 61 matches in charge of the Saints, a win rate of 52.46 per cent across two and a half seasons at the club.
The former Carlton coach took on interim coaching duties after the departure of Alan Richardson toward the end of 2019, with Ratten claiming three wins and as many losses from the final six games of the season.
He was soon appointed as the club's full-time senior coach, with his permanent tenure beginning in 2020. The red, white and black congregation managed a finals finish in Ratten's first season, claiming an elimination final win over the Western Bulldogs before falling to eventual premiers Richmond the following week.
While the past 18 months haven't been as successful for Ratten and the Saints, the club have shown their faith in the 50-year-old for the years to come.
“As the leader of our men’s program, Brett has secured significant buy-in from his fellow coaches, staff and players alike,” St Kilda president Andrew Bassat said.
“In addition to his strong football IQ, our players appreciate his ability to develop strong relationships, which he uses as a foundation to challenge each individual to get better and to deliver their role for the team.
“We have seen Brett adapt and grow since assuming the position of Senior Coach ahead of the 2020 season.
“His re-entry into the senior coaching chair has not been easy, tackling two years of COVID interruptions, hub life and the unavailability of players and staff through injury and illness. However, his focus on the continual improvement of not only our players, but his fellow staff and himself has been ever-present.
“We must be unrelenting and embrace each day as a chance to improve. Brett exemplifies this urgency daily, not only through his coaching, but through the transparent and authentic way he draws the best out of those around him.
“His genuine belief and deep understanding of where we all want this club to go is clear in each decision he makes, and even more so by the way he brings others along with him.
“Brett and his family embody the spirit of the Saints, and I am proud to have him leading us forward.”
Ratten will look to claim St Kilda's 10th win of the season on Saturday night when the Saints welcome Fremantle to Marvel Stadium, with a further four points set to buoy their finals prospects for this year.
That’s it. I’m out. I’m not longer a Saints supporter. The Saint Kilda front office has shown it’s incompetence for the final time. They hired Ratten even though his previous win-loss record was 50%. Since coming to St. Kilda, it hasn’t been better. You don’t win flags with that kind of record. Ratten has tradded away good players to hire ones which are injured or out of form. He’s been weak or silent in trade periods. It’s clear that the problem with the club is that the fish is rotting from the head down. They should have let him play out this season then started looking for a new coach (not Alistair Clarkson). But they chose to do this. Bassat needs to be fired. It’s an insult to the people who’ve stood by the club for so long. It insures that the Saints will remain in the bottom of the ladder for the foreseeable future. What a sad day for the club…