David King and Mark Robinson look at how far the Saints can go in the 2018 season
NICK Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna are gone. Who is going to step up and lead the Saints to finals? DAVID KING and MARK ROBINSON look at how far St Kilda can go in 2018.
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ST KILDA has rebuilt and reset over the past three to four years, but stagnated last season and now finds itself stuck in the middle of the AFL table.
Success in the competition has never been more star-driven, and the Saints are screaming for one or two to emerge from the pack to thrust them into a finals series.
There’s ample talent just short of that absolute star factor, including Seb Ross, Jack Billings, Jack Steven and Jade Gresham, but 2018 must remove any doubts on where these youngsters reside and just how high their ceiling is.
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The Alan Richardson stamp and methodology is clear for all to see. The “Saints Swarm” is all about pressure around the contest and being difficult to play against.
The Saints have the league’s best tackling differential, out-tackling their opposition by an average of seven a game.
Their methods have enabled them to be knocking on the door of finals football for the past two seasons. It has been a win for strategy, but they need more aggression in their ball-movement patterns.
Richardson promised more corridor counter-attack last season, but they used the boundary more than any other team. The Saints are the league’s second-poorest team at moving the ball from defensive 50 to their forward 50.
The Saints need a dominant midfielder as they’re well served with their bookends.
Their clearance game is in great order — third-best team in the league — but that doesn’t translate to scoring from clearances.
Dylan Roberton had a terrific start to 2017 but faded, and Ross was super-consistent without influencing games. Both made the 2017 All-Australian squad.
Teams need to draft their own stars eventually, and St Kilda has picked up smooth-moving possession-winner Hunter Clark and elite ball-user Nick Coffield.
I’m a fan of Coffield and think he will become a special talent as a 190cm wingman/half-back, though he can play anywhere.
The Saints’ forward 50 entries hit the scoreboard the third most in the competition, showing the methodology is working.
Accuracy has been a significant issue — “Jacks” Lonie, Billings and Steven last season kicked 35 goals and 65 behinds combined.
Gresham and Jack Sinclair slotted 38.38 between them, so the scope for improvement is considerable, hence the appointment of goalkicking coach Ben Dixon to target this critical facet of their game.
The start to the season brings a chance to get off to a flyer and build some much-needed momentum, with the first three games at Etihad against the Lions, North Melbourne and Adelaide.
MARK ROBINSON HERALD SUN CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER
WHAT I LIKE
There’s a newness about the Saints with the departures of Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna and Sean Dempster. From that will come greater responsibility for others. Whether that translates into greater performance and finals, I’m not so sure. The Saints are happy with their game plan, but they have to be more consistent in implementing it. They will be better if the likes of Jack Sinclair, Jack Billings, Paddy McCartin, Luke Dunstan, Jack Newnes, Blake Acres, Jimmy Webster and Jade Gresham go up another rung, and I’m certain they can. Not sure Membrey, Bruce and McCartin can all play in the forward 50m, though, but confident they will beat plenty of teams.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE
In November, Alan Richardson struggled to name the one player ranked elite by Champion Data — it was Sinclair on a wing — and many would argue the Saints don’t have enough A-grade talent. Richardson, of course, disagreed. Last year, they only beat GWS and Richmond of the finalists in their 11 wins, so there’s an issue right there. McCartin needs to play games to see how good the Saints are with him taking marks and kicking goals. Have the attitude, have burgeoning talent, but certainly not the experience.
VERDICT
Will narrowly miss.
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