New backline coach Henry Playfair has swiftly added value to the program at Linen House Centre, according to Senior Assistant Coach Adam Kingsley.

Playfair arrived at St Kilda after seven years as a coach at Sydney, where he started by coaching the Swans' NEAFL team, before spending four years with the forwards and then the past two years in defence.

Kingsley, who has shifted from managing the midfield to a new role as transition coach during the pre-season, said Playfair has made an immediate impact with his football IQ.

“He’s been terrific for us. He’s a very measured guy, somewhat quietly spoken, but really intelligent,” Kingsley told the Inside St Kilda podcast this week.

“He sees the game really well and has been really, really good at value adding some important stuff during training from what he sees.

“He comes to us with an opinion about how the Saints play, which has been really positive. It’s good to hear from a club such as the Swans that the Saints are a respected group and are feared in some respect around what we can do.

“Henry has been able to provide some confidence within our playing group around the views through the AFL, as well as some suggestions that have allowed us to improve over the course of the pre-season.”

St Kilda will head to Geelong later this month to complete a week-long training camp ahead of AFLX and the JLT Community Series.

Unlike recent training camps to New Zealand and Queensland, which have incorporated treks and beach activities, Kingsley said this year’s edition will focus purely on football.

“It will still be a football training block, as opposed to some of the camps that have been a bit more off-road and non-football. This will be a football-focused one; we will still train as per normal,” he said.

“The changeup in venues; the feel; a few different activities; a good chance to spend some quality time together as a playing group will provide us with an opportunity to strengthen relationships, which is so important if you want to be a great team.”