Nick Dal Santo back at St Kilda as an academy coach

NICK Dal Santo has returned to St Kilda to be part of the club’s development academy but hasn’t ruled out pursuing a coaching career in the future.

Nick Dal Santo returns to St Kilda as part of the club’s Next Generation Academy. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

NICK Dal Santo has returned to St Kilda and hasn’t ruled out pursuing a coaching career in the future.

Dal Santo, who played 260 games for the Saints between 2002 and 2013 before adding 62 games for North Melbourne, is back in red, white and black as the Saints’ Next Generation Academy coach.

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Today’s homecoming marked the first day that Dal Santo had returned to the club since he left more than three years ago.

While fulltime coaching isn’t a possibility due to media and AFL Academy commitments, Dal Santo said he is “open” to a role in the future.

“I love footy and this was a great way to stay involved and to stay at St Kilda,” he said.

“I love coaching and I think I could do more of it, there’s just other things in my life that I love doing as well.

“Maybe one day — I’m definitely not saying no, but I’m not going all in just yet.”

Nick Dal Santo returns to St Kilda as part of the club’s Next Generation Academy. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

The Saints are 0-2 and will host Brisbane at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, but Dal Santo isn’t writing off the team’s hopes just yet.

“It’s only early,” he said.

“I thought their first game was disappointing against the Dees, especially after all the build-up ... but I thought their game on the weekend (against West Coast), apart from winning it, they did everything.”

The Next Generation Academy — which has community and talent streams — aims to encourage and develop engagement with local talented players and create more opportunities for multicultural and indigenous participants, and includes both on and off-field skill development.

Dal Santo, 33, moved to St Kilda as a 17-year-old at the end of 2001, and said he has been inspired by the help he was offered when he arrived at the club in his return, and wants to reinforce the importance of life balance to young players.

“It doesn’t feel that long ago that it was me,” he said.

“I was in their shoes and it doesn’t feel that long ago. To be able to feel I can help out young kids that want to play footy and want to be better people, I’m really privileged and flattered to be asked.

“What we’re trying to build here at the Saints with this program is an all-encompassing person and football is a part of that.”

Dal Santo played 260 games for the Saints.

The three-time All-Australian admitted that returning to the club’s base at Seaford yesterday was strange, but he is champing at the bit to get his teeth sunk into the new role.

“It’s been three years since I walked in here, so it did feel a little bit weird (yesterday) morning coming in and saying ‘g’day’,” he said.

“I’ve always said — even though I went to North Melbourne for three years, I always said I’d like to come back and help in some way, whether it was formal or informal, that was important for me to feel like I was giving back a little bit.

“To be able to do it for a team that I’ve grown up with is really important to me as well.”