St Kilda changes strategy towards its second premiership

IN 2014, St Kilda released a blueprint how it planned to win a premiership by 2020, which included an aggressive launch on free agency, but fresh questions have surfaced over the club’s direction.

Paddy McCartin was pick No.1 in the 2014 draft. Picture: Michael Klein

ST KILDA football boss Simon Lethlean said the club was satisfied with its decision to deviate from its planned rebuild towards a premiership by 2020.

In 2014 the Herald Sun revealed the Saints’ blueprint for success — to draft 18 talented youngsters from 2013-16 and then make an aggressive launch on free agency.

The recruiting model was formalised in a 40-page document submitted to the club’s board.

The Saints were aiming to finish top four in 2018 and deliver the club its second premiership by 2020.

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But from 2013-2016 the Saints drafted only 12 players inside the first three rounds and Nathan Brown (Collingwood) remains the sole free agent signed.

Lethlean said the draft deviation was a by-product of the club’s productive trading.

“It goes without saying than any strategy to build a talented list must include a level of flexibility to consider the availability of players through trade and free agency each season, as well of course the national and rookie drafts,” Lethlean told the Herald Sun.

“The club was able to maintain a strong presence at the draft, while also bringing in the likes of Jake Carlisle, Tim Membrey, Shane Savage, Nathan Brown, and Jack Steele.”

At 1-2 and without a finals victory since 2010, fresh questions have surfaced over St Kilda’s direction.

Shane Savage was traded from Hawthorn to St Kilda after the 2013 season. Picture: Michael Klein

Former football boss Chris Pelchen labelled the 2013-2016 drafting block a “critical period for us as a club” after the Saints received the 2014 wooden spoon.

“Our intention is to increase our activity in the first three rounds of the draft in that period (2013-16) by 50 per cent,” Pelchen told the Herald Sun at the time.

“So instead of having what would equate to one selection in each round for those four years (12 selections), we’re intending to have a total of 18 selections. (And) we’ll be going very, very aggressively at free agency from 2016.”

The recruiting model was pivotal to the shock trade of star ruckman Ben McEvoy to Hawthorn in 2013.

There are mitigating factors as to why the Saints fell six draftees short of their target.

In 2016 the Saints cashed in on Hawthorn’s desperation to secure Jaeger O’Meara.

While they didn’t enter that year’s draft until No.25 (Ben Long), in 2017 they were able to activate two top-10 picks (Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield) for the first time since 2001.

Nick Coffield made his debut last Saturday night. Picture: AAP

They also sacrificed a second-round pick in 2016 for hamstrung midfielder Nathan Freeman, who is yet to debut.

And while Pelchen, who left the Saints late in 2014, said a salary cap war chest would be created, only a handful of superstar free agents have chosen to move clubs.

This year’s pool of restricted free agents includes Rory Sloane, Andrew Gaff and dual All-Australian Jeremy McGovern while the Saints have also been linked to contracted GWS jet Dylan Shiel.

The Saints were the highest-paying club in 2012 and made a concerted effort to free up cash in the pursuit of a flag later this decade.

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OFF THE CHART

St Kilda’s blueprint for success

* Top-four side by 2018 QUESTION MARK

* Premiership by 2020 QUESTION MARK

- How they said they’d do it

* Draft 18 players inside the first three rounds from 2013-2016 CROSS

* Target free agency “very aggressively” from 2016 CROSS

Players drafted in first three rounds 2013-16

2013

1. Jack Billings (No.3) TICK

2. Luke Dunstan (No.18) QUESTION MARK

3. Blake Acres (No.19) TICK

2014

4. Paddy McCartin (No.1) QUESTION MARK

5. Hugh Goddard (No.21) QUESTION MARK

6. Daniel McKenzie (No.22) QUESTION MARK

7. Jack Lonie (No.41) QUESTION MARK

2015

8. Jade Gresham (No.18) TICK

9. Brandon White (No.40) TICK

10. Bailey Rice (F/S No.49) QUESTION MARK

2016

11. Ben Long (No.25) QUESTION MARK

12. Josh Battle (No.39) QUESTION MARK

FREE AGENTS RECRUITED

2016

Nathan Brown (Collingwood)

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