St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says Tim Membrey in ‘safe place’ after missing elimination final

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says the club’s thoughts are with Tim Membrey after the forward was a game-day withdrawal from the Saints’ elimination final team.

Tim Membrey. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images.

St Kilda forward Tim Membrey is in “a safe place” and receiving care after he was pulled out of Saturday’s elimination final after a health episode.

Saints coach Ross Lyon received a call at 8.15am on Saturday morning about Membrey and St Kilda went to the AFL and GWS Giants asking for permission to replace him in the side with Anthony Caminiti, who wasn’t part of the club’s emergencies.

Giants coach Adam Kingsley said his club was happy to oblige the request given the circumstances.

Clubs have been fined in the past for adding players to the team who weren’t emergencies but not under difficult circumstances such as on Saturday.

St Kilda assistant coach Lenny Hayes told SEN before the game that Membrey had a “mental health challenge that has just sort of reared”.

Tim Membrey was a late out before St Kilda’s final against GWS. Picture: Michael Klein

“He is in really good hands at the moment and our thoughts are with him,” Hayes said.

Speaking post-match, Lyon made clear that losing the experienced goalkicker was no excuse for his team’s 24-point loss to the Giants.

“It probably challenged those closest to him, we addressed it, he is in a safe place and our thoughts are with Tim. I have nothing further to add,” he said.

Caminiti was subbed out of the final at halftime after registering just three disposals and one behind.

Membrey, 29, has played 159 games with the Saints since crossing from Sydney before the 2015 season and has kicked 263 goals.