AFL news: Brendon Goddard joins Robert Harvey as part of Ross Lyon’s new St Kilda coaching staff

Moorabbin’s next wave of youngsters will come via the finishing school of one of St Kilda’s modern-day greats after another astute signing to the Ross Lyon team.

St Kilda’s most promising players will be schooled by Brendon Goddard next season after the Saints granted their club great the crack at AFL coaching he has been chasing.

Goddard has locked away the final place on new senior coach Ross Lyon’s panel, signing as a development coach to work with the club’s first-to-fourth-year players.

It means the likes of Marcus Windhager, Mitch Owens, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and the players taken in this month’s national draft will work closely with the 2002 No. 1 draft pick.

Goddard, 37, told the Herald Sun last month he had spent the past 12 months hoping for a chance on an AFL coaching panel and the passionate leader will get that as part of the Moorabbin reunion in 2023.

Brendon Goddard (centre) and Lenny Hayes will be part of the Ross Lyon team to turn around St Kilda’s fortunes.

The Herald Sun then revealed after Harvey was signed that the Saints still had one vacancy, as a development coach, which Goddard was likely to win.

The Saints — celebrating their 150th anniversary in 2023 — will be led by Lyon, new midfield coach Lenny Hayes, new assistant coach Robert Harvey and new development coach Goddard, while Nick Dal Santo is their AFLW coach.

They are also expected to secure high performance boss David Misson, who has been working with NRL club Sydney Roosters.

Brendon Goddard takes a spectacular grab alonside Lenny Hayes in the 2010 decider.

Misson, too, was part of the old Lyon era. Misson was at Sydney when Lyon was assistant coach and they linked up at Moorabbin in 2008.

The bevy of new — or old — signings is set to place significant pressure on St Kilda‘s soft cap next season, particularly given it must also pay out six months of sacked coach Brett Ratten’s contract.

Geoff Walsh has also come on-board as the club's new football boss, officially starting in his post this week.

The football department rejig could impact the job descriptions and seniority of football program boss David Rath and list boss James Gallagher.

Brendon Goddard will work with the club’s first-to-fourth-year players.

Lyon’s bold move to land Saints draft bonanza

St Kilda wants to strike a trade to improve its hand at next month's national draft so it can bring in three or four quality teenagers to learn from new coaches Ross Lyon, Lenny Hayes and Robert Harvey.

The Saints continued their time warp on Tuesday when Lyon brought dual Brownlow Medallist Harvey back to the club as an assistant coach for the second time.

Lyon has told club bosses he was happy the Saints kept picks No. 9, 28 and 32 in the draft and now they are hoping to speak to rivals about executing a swap of picks to move further up the order.

Sydney holds picks 14 and 17 and — like the Saints — had been hoping to move into the top six selections.

Ross Lyon and Robert Harvey speak at a St Kilda training session.

But that looks unlikely given clubs with early selections are holding them tightly.

The Swans are looking at the 2022-2023 drafts as one block and, without access to a top-six pick this year, they could be open to giving up either No. 14 or 17 for a future pick.

The Saints would love to secure either a bonus early pick this year or to move No. 28 or 32 further up the order.

They offered No. 9 and Hunter Clark to North Melbourne for No. 3, but that was rejected by the Roos.

Clubs are free to swap picks until November 15 and then again live at the draft.

The Saints were thrilled with the energy generated from last year's draft haul of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mitch Owens and Marcus Windhager.

Windhager, in particular, caught the eye as a tagger who should evolve into a powerful midfielder.

Lyon has taken a “blank canvas” approach to the Saints and reckons a couple of good drafts could turn them around quickly.

But Lyon also believes that with all clubs operating under the same salary cap and soft cap it is more important to get the framework right to maximise results.

Ross Lyon was unveiled as Saints coach for the second time on Monday. Picture: Michael Klein.

He held talks with veteran recruiter Tony Elshaug, former goalsneak and GWS assistant Adam Schneider and footy legend Leigh Matthews in recent weeks about his possible return to senior coaching.

Harvey has replaced Brendon Lade (Western Bulldogs) as a line coach and the Saints are understood to still searching for one more development coach to join Damian Carroll and Jake Batchelor (VFL).

Former Saint Brendon Goddard is eager to get back into football and is likely to be considered by Lyon, depending on the restraints in the soft cap.

Goddard has spent the past 12 months asking questions of clubs and would be open to a coaching role at any club.

Securing Goddard along with Lyon, Harvey and Hayes — and with Nick Dal Santo coaching the AFLW team — would complete St Kilda’s throwback to the 2007-2011 era.

“While we understand for Saints fans the idea of Rob and Lenny back together is extremely nostalgic, it should also be very exciting given their coaching expertise,” Saints boss Simon Lethlean said.

The Saints have to payout six months of sacked coach Brett Ratten’s contract, which will be counted in the cap.

Lyon brought Harvey back to the Saints in 2011 as midfield coach. Harvey then applied for the senior job when Lyon defected to Fremantle after that season.

But when the Saints chose Scott Watters instead, Harvey left for Collingwood. He served as caretaker coach for nine games (2-7) when Nathan Buckley was sacked last year.

Harvey joined Hawthorn as midfield coach in 2022 but he had flagged his possible return to St Kilda with Hawks bosses in recent days.

It means the 51-year-old will coach at a third AFL club in as many years in 2023.

Originally published as AFL news: Brendon Goddard joins Robert Harvey as part of Ross Lyon’s new St Kilda coaching staff