Deep dive: Inside look at St Kilda for 2020

St Kilda will have a totally new-look team in Round 1 with five trade recruits plus a host of stars returning from injury. But don’t assume you know what that means for the Saints in 2020.

If memberships were sold on hope the St Kilda fan base wouldn’t fit into Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

The tsunami of momentum that has washed over Moorabbin in the wake of Alan Richardson’s July sacking has turned up a born-again senior coach, a shrewd and experienced support cast and a swag of new players.

As James Brown sang, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”.

Football manager Simon Lethlean, list manager James Gallagher and “Adviser” Greame Allan pulled the lever on a jackpot trade period that won them senior quintet Bradley Hill, Zak Jones, Dougal Howard, Dan Butler and Paddy Ryder.

Throw in the return of Dylan Roberton (no games last year), skipper Jarryn Geary (five games), Dan Hannebery (five games), Jimmy Webster (eight games), Jake Carlisle (10 games) and the looming debut of spearhead Max King and you have the makings of a very different side in the space of one off-season.

Outside the fence, the Saints poached David Rath from the AFL to head the football program, while four-time premiership Hawk Jarryd Roughead has sunk his teeth into a full-time role in the footy department.

Can new-look St Kilda finally give their fans something to celebrate? Picture: Getty Images

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It’s been eight years since finals, but on the eve of a 2020 campaign that promises so much, Lethlean described it as a “new beginning for all of us”.

“The momentum has been so strong since October,” Lethlean says.

“It’s a bit of an unknown how fast it will all knit together and how quickly we can play cohesively.

“But it’s exciting and new. Those players we’ve brought in all have different roles and they all bring different skill sets and different experiences so it’s been an education process across the summer with different IP (intellectual property) coming into the club.”

While the trade acquisitions got the headlines – and deservedly so – to get something, you’ve got to give something.

St Kilda only has two picks inside the first three rounds of the 2019 and 2020 national drafts (third rounder in 2019 and a first rounder in 2020).

THE BURNING QUESTIONS

Does this influx of established players mean they’ve shown their hand? Are the Saints ready to launch?

“That’s a pretty basic assumption to make,” Lethlean says.

“I see it more like we identified our list profile wasn’t where it needed to be in terms of age, experience and ability.

“You can’t just have a go at that by drafting six 18-year-olds. We already had a young enough list, we’d taken two first round picks two years ago (2017), took our first round pick with Max King (2018) and the guys we brought in have got five to seven years of footy left so it’s not like we’re swinging for the stands.

“It gets our list back (on track). We had a bit of a gap there. We had one of the youngest lists last year so we don’t feel like we’re loading up for a tilt.

“Rather, we’re getting our list to where it needs to be and it still needs to keep improving.”

Bradley Hill headlines the Saints ins. Picture: Getty

Paddy Ryder will split his time between the forward line and the ruck. Picture: Getty

St Kilda now has 15 players on its list acquired via trade and free agency – the most in the competition. Meanwhile, last year’s grand finalists – Richmond and GWS – have the fewest.

There may not be a right or wrong way to compile a premiership list, but Lethlean explained why the Saints ploughed into the exchange market instead of the draft.

“You can draft your way into premiership contention, but that’s usually been through a glut of two or three top picks,” he says.

“The Hawks (2004) had a concession scenario, the Pies (2005) had the same and the Giants had a different way of going about it because of the concessions they got. Melbourne and Carlton most recently had access to lots of top end draft picks and they’ll have good lists because of that.

“The earliest draft pick we’ve had is Max King at No. 4 (2018) and Paddy (McCartin) at No. 1 (2014) and Jack Billings (No. 3 in 2013) before that.

“There’s all sorts of ways to go about it, but the proof will be in the pudding to see how they’re coached and how they respond.”

How urgent was the need for speed?

In Hill and Jones the Saints suddenly have flying wingers. Howard is quick for a key back and Butler brings fierce closing speed as a pressure forward along with the likes of Jack Lonie and Jack Sinclair.

For a team that plays the bulk of its games on the game’s fastest track, Marvel Stadium, it looms as one of Ratten’s key weapons.

“Hopefully it will be a point of difference,” Lethlean says.

“But everyone’s best footy these days is when a few fast guys who can run and carry get the ball so there’s nothing different in that, even if we have got more leg speed than we have been used to.

“At this stage China is going ahead, but if it’s not there’s a chance it (relocated game) will be at Marvel Stadium, so it could be nine of our first 11 games at Marvel.

“We could get a chance to exploit some of the speed we’ve got.”

Ben Long has caught the eye over the pre-season in a new halfback role. After an up-and-down first three years, is he ready to take flight?

“He’s probably been the most impressive across the post-Christmas period when you start doing your match simulation,” Lethlean says.

“He was a halfback as a junior so it’s a bit more natural for him. He had an impactful presence up forward, but doesn’t find a heap of it so I think he’s enjoying being given more time down back.

“He takes them on a bit and he’ll excite. He’s got a fast step, he’s strong and he pushes off. He’s been impressive thus far, but he hasn’t played halfback in an AFL game yet.”

Will Jade Gresham be squeezed out of St Kilda’s midfield? Picture: Getty Images

Does the arrival of Hill and Jones push Jade Gresham back out of the midfield and into a more permanent forward role?

“His desire is to play midfield, but he needs to keep building the tank to be able to do that for high percentages. He’ll certainly be in there at least half-half,” Lethlean says.

“There’s all sorts of ways now for blokes to start in midfield and move forward and have someone else take their spot.

“‘Dusty’ and (Kane) Lambert do that all day. Dusty starts mid and pushes forward and Lambert goes and does the work. There’s ways ‘Gresh’ can find a chop out, but he’ll spend plenty of time in the midfield. He’s one of our most impactful players.”

In Paddy Ryder and Rowan Marshall, the Saints have two genuine ruckmen who can play forward. How much of an advantage do they see this being?

“As much as I love ‘Brucey’ (Josh Bruce) and we’ll miss him, you do have moments where your second ruck goes in and you go, ‘Crikey we’re going to be 10 minutes under the pump here against their good ruck’,” Lethlean says.

“But that won’t be the case for us now. Hopefully it will be the case for our opposition.

“I think the plan is to split it pretty evenly, but we’ll see how they go and what the match-ups are. I really like the fact we’ve now got two genuine rucks that can both play forward.

“Paddy’s ruck work is really superior and Marshall’s ground work is really superior. I guess it will depend on who is getting the most traction up forward and if it’s not working one way we can switch it up pretty quick.”

Brett Ratten will hoop to get the Saints scoring more heavily. Picture: Michael Klein

What is the coach’s philosophy?

The Brett Ratten we remember at Carlton encouraged risk-taking, dare and adventure and it meant his Blues ranked top-six for points-scored in his first five seasons in charge.

Last year, St Kilda scored 100 points only twice and they came in Ratten’s first two games in charge.

On the surface, Saints fans can expect to see higher scoring. Or can they?

“I think he’s been through a program at the Hawks where he’s found defence is so critical so I’m not sure there’s any coach now who favours one above the other,” Lethlean says of the attack versus defence debate.

“But he’s certainly empowered the players with how he wants them to play and empowered them to make the best decisions at the time compared to it being completely rigid.

“You hope that those players who have run and carry tricks will be doing that and some of the creativity we’ve got shines through.”

THE LIST

In: Bradley Hill (trade), Dan Butler (trade), Paddy Ryder (trade), Dougal Howard (trade), Zak Jones (trade), Ryan Abbott (delisted free agent), Jack Bell (rookie draft), Ryan Byrnes (draft), Leo Connolly (draft), Darragh Joyce (promoted rookie).

Out: Blake Acres (trade), Josh Bruce (trade), Billy Longer (delisted), Paddy Ryder (delisted), Jack Newnes (delisted), Lewis Pierce (delisted), Bailey Rice (delisted), Sam Rowe (delisted), Jack Steven (trade), Brandon White (delisted), Robbie Young (delisted).

MORE FOOTY NEWS:

Brett Ratten loves coaching again and says his son Cooper will always be with him

Every AFL club’s bogey team revealed

Herald Sun 2020 Dream Team: Who is the AFL’s best tall defender?

The most popular KFC SuperCoach picks at every club

OFF CONTRACT

Jake Carlisle

Was he on the trade table or not? Had a 2019 to forget, but managed to reach a games-based trigger in his deal that gave him another year at Moorabbin. His playing future will be a fascinating subplot given he’s out of contract in a Saints backline suddenly flush with depth.

Jack Steele

Finished third in the best and fairest in each of the past two years, the former Giant is entering the last year of his deal.

Played at least 20 games in each of his three seasons with the Saints, where his tackling pressure has caught the eye.

STATS THAT MATTER

14th points scored (74.8)

14th point from turnovers (43.1)

11th points from clearances (29)

13th points from kick ins (2.6)

5th % of scores from forward 50 (21.4%)

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This story is part of Deep Dive, a new series taking fans into the inner sanctum and exploring the issues and opportunities of every AFL club ahead of season 2020. Our team of AFL journalists cast their expert eye over all teams, players and prospects to give you a deeper picture. A new club is explored each day until the first bounce on Thursday, March 19.

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Originally published as Deep dive: Inside look at St Kilda for 2020