RE-BORN defender Dylan Roberton’s career was at the crossroads at the end of the 2014 season, according to St Kilda senior coach Alan Richardson.

Having finished 10^th in the 2013 best and fairest, Roberton endured a horror year in 2014, playing just seven senior games and spending large chunks of time in the VFL.

The underlying issue was a persistent ankle injury which had forced him to withdraw from the club’s pre-season trip to Boulder, Colorado in December 2013.

Post-season surgery on the same troublesome ankle has revitalised the 24-year-old’s career, to the point where he has become arguably St Kilda’s most consistent defender this year.

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The  former Docker is averaging 21.3 disposals per outing and according to Richardson, should feature prominently in the club’s best and fairest vote count in September.

“Dylan Roberton didn’t look like an AFL player last year,” Richardson told Fox Footy’s On the Couch program on Monday evening.

“He had a really bad ankle and wasn’t able to move. I’m not saying that I had put a line through him, but it was pretty close.

“He’d be right up in our best and fairest and is playing some really good footy through us. Robbo is emerging not necessarily as a key defender, but someone who can certainly play tall and small.

FEATURE: Roberton's resurgence

While Roberton has enjoyed a breakout season under Richardson, another player who was acquired from a rival club has also impressed the senior coach this year.

Billy Longer, while good in patches in 2014, has made the number on ruck spot his own in 2015 and played every game.

“Going into the year I would have thought Tom Hickey would be the first choice ruckman given that he’d played a few more games,” Richardson conceded.

“He was a bit more professional and Billy had a fair bit of work to do in that space, but I can’t fault the way he’s trained and prepared.

“He’s taking himself much more seriously and his teammates take him much more seriously. He’s an aggressive man and he’s doing some good work.”

While Josh Bruce’s development and David Armitage’s improvement is clear, it is the more underrated efforts of players like Roberton and Longer that have gone a long way towards St Kilda winning six games and challenging in a handful of others in 2015. 

Dylan Roberton following St Kilda's win over Brisbane earlier this year.