ST KILDA has undergone a dramatic and deliberate list rebuild over the past two years.
Fifteen new players have entered the club in this time (not including Ahmed Saad and the re-drafted Adam Schneider), while a handful of rookies have been upgraded onto the senior list.
A 21-year-old and 22-year-old have been promoted to the club’s leadership group, with other emerging Saints Luke Dunstan and Jack Billings set to assume more on-field responsibility following promising debut seasons.
These factors represent a clear shift in St Kilda’s direction, without disregarding the key figures that have formed the club’s backbone for the last decade.
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Nick Riewoldt remains skipper with 280 games of experience and six best and fairest awards to his name, while Leigh Montagna, Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher and Farren Ray remain vital cogs both on and off field.
The challenge for 2015 is finding a suitable team balance on a week by week basis. To this end, David Armitage (26 years old), Jack Steven (25) and Luke Delaney (25) are perhaps the Saints’ barometers this season.
Armitage and Steven will be constants in the engine room, while Delaney will hold fort in defence as he did so well in 2014, finishing fifth in the best and fairest and playing every game.
All three will be pivotal players in bridging the gap between the old and the new.
Steven’s injury struggles dented his output last season, but following a strong summer on the track and the welcome addition of a new five-year contract, the 2013 best and fairest winner is primed for a productive campaign.
One of his greatest challenges will be the attention he gets from opposition taggers. Admittedly Leigh Montagna will divert some of this focus away, but Steven is undoubtedly the Saints’ primary go-to midfielder now and will be required to win his own ball more than ever.
Armitage is in a similar boat to Steven, although without his teammates’ dashing pace will rely more on his grunt work to shovel the ball in St Kilda’s direction. His body strength and willingness to fight for every contest complements the lighter, more evasive midfielders.
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Lenny Hayes’ departure has opened the door for the left-footer to take additional responsibility and after 107 games and a full pre-season, Armitage is in his absolute prime. An injury-free campaign will surely result in a lofty best and fairest finish. He has promised for two or three years, but for Armitage, now is the time to deliver.
Regardless of wins and losses, the 2015 season promises to be captivating viewing. New players will begin their careers and a range of others will enhance their reputations. Strong, committed performances will eventually reap positive results and block by block St Kilda will build again.
St Kilda by the numbers:
Average age: 23 years, 181 days (Fifth youngest list)
Average games: 53 (Equal fifth least experienced team)
Three key games:
Round 1 vs GWS
Round 3 vs Collingwood
Round 10 vs Hawthorn
Summer standout: Jack Newnes
No matter which way you look at it, Jack Newnes’ pre-season has been outstanding. Over the past two years, the talented young ball-winner has shaved a whopping 37 seconds off his 2km time trial personal best, matching Jarryn Geary for the title of best runner at the club.
Now part of the leadership group and an integral member of the side, Newnes is perfectly poised to improve further on his consistent 2014 campaign where he finished sixth in the best and fairest. He is also likely to spend more time in the midfield having earned his stripes off half-back and on the wing in recent year.
RELATED: Newnes takes on the challenge
Jack Newnes has enjoyed a terrific pre-season.
Come from the clouds: Jack Lonie (Notable mention: Jack Sinclair)
At pick No.41 and weighing just 70kgs, Jack Lonie was long odds to play round one last November. But after a strong summer on the track and an even better NAB Challenge campaign, the small forward is pushing hard for a debut against GWS on Sunday.
RELATED: Jack Lonie Behind the Guernsey
Who’s fit and who isn’t?:
St Kilda will welcome back a host of players for round one, including defenders Shane Savage and Jarryn Geary, while Jack Billings and Leigh Montagna remain chances to take on the Giants.
David Armitage was rested for the final NAB Challenge game and will be a welcome return to the senior line-up, while Nick Riewoldt’s availability is yet to be determined, with the skipper still to tick a few boxes prior to selection.
Nathan Wright and Jimmy Webster will return early in the season, while Seb Ross and Farren Ray are recovering from hamstring strains and are considered strong chances to be back before the mid-season bye.
RELATED: Injury list
Fantasy punt: Sam Fisher
A fully fit Sam Fisher is a dangerous player. Two years ravaged by injuries has led to the 32-year-old’s price plummeting this season. As a defender who averaged over seven marks per game last season, he is well worth a try. Reads the game exceptionally well and is a polished user of the ball.
RELATED: Fisher meets Kei Nishikori
Game style:
St Kilda will aim to build on its game style from 2014, albeit with a few tweaks and adjustments. The Saints will look to move the ball quickly but not rush for the sake of it, putting a high premium on finding the ‘best’ option (as opposed to the easiest). They will also seek to apply consistent and relentless pressure to the opposition, forcing turnovers and winning the ball back.
Moreover, St Kilda hasn’t been afraid to move the ball laterally this pre-season, regularly switching play via hand and foot to open up one side of the ground.
Three burning questions:
1.Q: How much have the second and third-year players improved?
A: These are the names that must improve if St Kilda are going to climb up the ladder in 2015: Acres, Billings, Dunstan, Hickey, Longer, Murdoch, Saunders, Templeton, Webster. Time will tell, but all have shown glimpses of significant talent.
2. Q: Who will kick goals aside from Nick Riewoldt?
A: Last year Riewoldt booted 49 goals, 23 per cent of St Kilda’s tally for the season. While the Saints will hope their skipper produces a similar number this year, he will need help.
Rhys Stanley was the club’s second leading goalkicker last year, while Jack Billings was third. Spencer White, Tom Lee, Paddy McCartin, Josh Bruce and Tim Membrey will all get a crack at some stage – and whoever can grasp their opportunity best will be required to hit the scoreboard on a regular basis.
3. Q: What is St Kilda’s best ruck combination?
A: Without Stanley, it is highly likely Alan Richardson will at least start the season with two specialist ruckman in the team. At this stage, those two big men look to be Tom Hickey and Billy Longer, however Lewis Pierce showed positive signs against the Hawks in NAB 3, and Jason Holmes’ dramatic improvement has him in the mix for a rookie elevation sooner rather than later.
RELATED: Battle of the big men
