St Kilda is confident top-10 selection Mattaes Phillipou will become a star midfielder for the club despite battling with low confidence and fluctuations in his performance.
Phillipou was axed from the senior side after collecting four disposals in the close loss to Sydney, and whisked away to the VFL.
The classy left-footer dominated in his return to the VFL, amassing 28 possessions and nine clearances, which has become a consistent narrative.
"Mattaes is like any young player that's going to go through fluctuations with their game when they're young," Saints football boss Lenny Hayes said on SEN.
"I think back to when I first came through, I probably didn't feel comfortable at the level as a midfielder until my fourth year. I was playing a bit of half-forward, playing a bit of mid, and it just took me a while to build that confidence.
"I think we sometimes forget that Mattaes was the youngest player taken in his draft. He played every game in his first year, and in his second year, he had a little stint back at the VFL and built out his craft as a midfielder. He came back in and played some really good games.
"Last year, his season was pretty much ruined through injury, so he's really only a third-year player who is still developing his craft.
"He's going to be a really good player, there's no doubt about that. Like always, at times we have to go back and find a bit of form, and I've no doubt he's going to play an important role in the back end of the season and in the future for the Saints."
Phillipou has put his name back into the selection frame, as has crafty forward Jack Higgins, who should be available after overcoming a knee injury.
"If you ask Jack, it will be this weekend," Hayes said.
"He's looking ok. He's got to get through training on Friday, but he's not too far away."
The Saints bucked a three-game losing streak with a tough win over GWS, and will take that form into Sunday's clash with the Western Bulldogs.
