LUKE Delaney played almost as many games in 2014 at St Kilda as what he did in three seasons at North Melbourne.

Blessed with a stable defensive structure, the Kangaroos used the former Geelong Falcon as a bit-part player, bringing him into the team on a needs basis. Nathan Grima and Scott Thompson were the preferred options, leading Delaney to request a trade to St Kilda after 26 games in three years at Arden St.

The Saints handed over a fifth round selection for the full-back, a selection that wasn’t utilised by the Kangaroos and now looks to be an almighty bargain.

Delaney was one of four Saints to play every game in 2014, finished fifth in the best and fairest and led the team for one-percenters. When given the responsibility he craved, he prospered.

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Nick Riewoldt was the unequivocal leader, playing 96 per cent of game time, but Delaney was the General, finishing the season with 93 per cent game time.

“We obviously had a deficiency in terms of our key defenders and we felt that Luke was someone who could fill that void,” Chief Operating Officer and List Manager Ameet Bains told SAINTS.com.au.

“We are absolutely delighted to have him on board, he’s been terrific for the club since coming across.”

St Kilda beat ‘a handful’ of other clubs to Delaney according to Bains.

“At North Melbourne, for various reasons, he wasn’t getting the level of opportunity that he had hoped so we were one of those clubs, but we felt that as discussions progressed that he was keen to come to us rather than go elsewhere.”

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Delaney doesn’t regret seeking a trade and was content with his form last year, without being ecstatic.

“I’m happy that I made the decision to leave and grateful that I got given the opportunity to play last year,” Delaney said.

“I thought that I played my role a majority of that time last season so now it’s just about continuing to move forward and improving as a player and playing every game.”

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the full-back, with the same nagging hip injury forcing him into surgery last September for the second successive year.

“I had to manage it through the season last year and then booked it in, had it done again and hopefully it’ll mean that I won’t have any issues later on this year,” he said.

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“I only started running a week or so before the Christmas break. Having two surgeries in 24 months probably made it a little bit hard to stay in the gym and those sorts of things, but hopefully I can get it strong and stabilized and if it takes another 12 months, I can have a full pre-season heading into 2016 and feel good.

“It’s my left hip and it probably effects more my running and recovery. Some weeks I would pull up and feel really good and other weeks I’d pull up really sore, so it was a week to week thing, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t play, it was just some weeks I didn’t feel 100 per cent going into a game.”

Delaney isn’t prone to nerves. Even when faced with a rampant Lance Franklin or a bulldozing Jarryd Roughead last year, his primary emotion was exhilaration – not trepidation.

“Generally I like to know that the challenge is out there and that I can tick it off, knowing that I’ve beaten that bloke before and that I can do it again,” he said.

“Because I’m on the same player for the majority of the game, I can probably hone in on him a little bit more than what the other boys can.”

This is not to say Delaney is devoid of the team ethos, but rather he appreciates the simplicity of being assigned a task and completing it with a minimum of fuss.

He is laid back enough to connect with all types of personalities, but switched on enough to study property at Deakin University and commit to a work placement in building while forging an AFL career.

This time last year he proposed to his long-term girlfriend Carly. The two are due to tie the knot in early October.

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“I planned it a while back. I’m originally from Geelong so we went back home and I made a big sign about 35 metres long, which said will you marry me. I got a few friends and family to go down to 13th beach and put it along the sand,” he said.

“I told the missus we were going for a bit of a joy flight in one of the tiger moths down there and I asked them to go right down near the sand so she could read it and then pulled out the ring in the plane.”

Life off the field is going swimmingly for the 25-year-old and life on the field is looking just as stable.

After Danny Frawley’s return to St Kilda as part-time defensive coach last year. Delaney immediately connected with the former captain, comparing notes and regularly discussing tactics and game plans.

Because while the game has changed markedly since Frawley retired in 1995, the full-back position’s primary objective remains the same – to stop your direct opponent.

“Spud is a character and a very honest bloke as well, so I’m learning a lot from him so far,” Delaney said.

“He obviously watches a lot of footy so even though he played some time ago, he’s still very up to date with the current trends in footy. He’s got a good knowledge of the game and how to be a successful defender.”

Frawley himself has enjoyed working with a player of Delaney’s caliber, even if it has only been for a few months.

“Luke’s had a great pre-season,” Frawley said.

“His first three games against Brisbane, Essendon and Hawthorn were very good, allowing Dempster and Fisher to play up the ground. If Luke can hold down the full back position for most of the year it’ll be fantastic.

“Coming of a pretty solid year last year, he’s worked on a few aspects of his game and he has to play big and strong for us down back and that’s what we’re expecting each week.”

Off field, Delaney is well-balanced and settled. On field, he’s equally stable. A General in the back half and an integral part of St Kilda’s future.

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