This award is voted by the players for the individual who best displays the application and commitment to the players' trademark – known as 'Saintsman' in 2014.
This year there were three primary values:
1. Trusted to be tough
2. Trusted to put the team first
3. Trusted to do what’s right in and outside the club
Alan Richardson told SAINTS.com.au that the Saints trademark is primarily a player driven initiative that helps underpin the way the team wants to play on the field and act off it.
“We are on the start of a journey,” the first-year coach said.
“Because of this, we did a lot of work at the start of the year on what it means to be a St Kilda player and what’s expected of you as a player.
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“Each week the players talk about who it was who lived up to trademark. They will often speak about positives but also negatives and they challenge each other really strongly. At the end of the year the leadership group got together and spoke about who they thought would be the most fitting player to win this award based on the entire season.“It’s basically doing everything you can for the team. Preparing as best you can so that you can make the team better, and then on game day performing in a manner that best provides opportunity for the team to have success.”
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Delaney was one of four Saints who played every game this season after arriving at the Linen House Centre via a trade deal with North Melbourne late last year.
In need of a key defender, Delaney plugged a critical hole in St Kilda’s defence and performed admirably, getting the better of power forwards such as Travis Cloke, Tom Hawkins and Jack Riewoldt.
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“Luke played on the opposition’s best and deepest forward most weeks and for about 80 per cent of the season he did a terrific job,” Richardson said.
“He lowered his colours on a couple of occasions, but he’s the sort of bloke that continues to learn, grow and develop. He’s as professional as anyone in our footy club.”
