VFL 2019: St Kilda rookie Sam Alabakis to play with Frankston Dolphins

Last year it was Lewis Pierce. This year Sam Alabakis will be the St Kilda ruckman giving Frankston Dolphins a hand in the VFL.

Lewis Pierce has handed the ruck baton to Sam Alabakis.

Last year AFL Victoria gave St Kilda big man Pierce permission to play at Frankston rather than Saints affiliate Sandringham.

This year his new Saints teammate Alabakis will fill the same role.

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But while Pierce gave the Dolphins sterling service, winning the best and fairest and pushing up to AFL level late in the season, Alabakis is far less advanced with his football.

St Kilda ruck coach and former Frankston coach Adam Skrobalak said Alabakis, a Category B rookie, had played US college basketball as well as rugby and tennis.

Frankston supporters won’t miss him: he’s 210cm.

“Having the opportunity to play at Frankston will be huge for him — playing ruck minutes is crucial to his development,’’ Skrobalak said.

“Early on he has shown a great appetite to work and learn. We have already seen a good spike in his development since starting in November.’’

Lewis Pierce playing against Hawthorn last year.

He said Pierce’s stint with the Dolphins had been “amazing for his career and certainly helped his development’’.

“Playing as the No 1 ruck consistently was an opportunity he hadn’t had in his entire time at St Kilda,’’ Skrobalak said.

“His form gave him the opportunity to play the last three games in the AFL team and he has used that to continue his development as an AFL-quality ruckman.

“He’s had a great pre-season — he is bigger and stronger and covering the ground much better.’’

Just as Pierce has pushed up at St Kilda, so has Skrobalak.

He coached the Dolphins in their return to the VFL and had another year to run on his contract, but the Saints offered him a full-time role as “contest’’ coach as well as ruck and midfield development.

He had been part-time at St Kilda, combining it with the Frankston position.

Adam Skrobalak working the huddle at Frankston. He’s now full-time at St Kilda.

It made for long hours but Skrobalak said it was an invaluable experience.

He said it gave him the “experiences that couldn’t be found anywhere — recruiting 45 players, hiring coaching and high performance staff and building a whole new on and off field team’’.

“The other attractive piece was having the opportunity to take on a coaching role that many would say was the toughest coaching role in the coaching market,’’ he said.

“Developing and implementing a game plan was something that I enjoyed a lot.

“Giving players an opportunity to play at VFL level — 90 per cent of our players came from local footy or VFL development league — was a highlight. Seeing these guys learn, develop and grow into competent VFL footballers was amazing.

“The experiences along the way were priceless for my coaching development.’’

“Right now I’m rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck into my new role and looking to make the Saints better in contest and all things associated with contest.

“It’s an area I’m passionate about. Who knows where it may lead but right now it’s all about 2019. I will be down at the Frankston a lot this year to watch and support Sam Alabakis and I’ll certainly look on with a proud smile as the young men of the Dolphins continue to develop and improve under the coaching of Danny Ryan.’’