St Kilda 2024: The X-factors who will help Saints go deeper into September

The popular theory is that the Saints caught the league off guard in 2023 and are set to come back to the pack. Those in red, black and white prefer to differ. JAY CLARK previews their season.

St kilda pre season art

They have already been dubbed the likely sliders in 2024.

The popular theory is the Saints caught the opposition off guard in 2023 making finals, but are set to come back to the pack next season.

Ross Lyon will love the cynical view from the outside, knowing the fuel it can add to the Saints’ fire.

Internally, there is optimism around the growth from the likes of Mattaes Phillipou, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mitch Owens, Max King and Marcus Windhager, while new faces Liam Henry and Paddy Dow help inject some midfield quality.

Lyon and his coaches will set the right tone, ensuring no player is comfortable after a strong 2023.

The Saints’ list still lacks some star power, but as Ange Postecoglou keeps saying at Tottenham in the English Premier League, chemistry, commitment and discipline count for more than big names on your team sheet.

Under Lyon, you know the Saints will give everything they have, but will it be enough?

ST KILDA

Coach: Ross Lyon

Captain: Jack Steele

What happened in 2023?

The new era dawned at Moorabbin as Lyon instilled a hard-running midfield ethos and new defensive system which choked the opposition.

They won eight of their first 12 games to lay the foundation for a finals berth even without Max King, who hurt his bung shoulder in the preseason.

Jack Hayes went down as well, and they pulled Anthony Caminiti from the clouds, replacing his waiter’s apron from his family’s restaurant with the red, white and black jumper.

The small forwards put enough of a score on and the kids like Owens, Wanganeen-Milera and Windhager came on in a big way. Ticks everywhere.

But Tim Membrey pulled out the morning of the first final and a slick GWS midfield outfit took care of business in the elimination final at the MCG.

It was a reminder there is still a decent gap to the top teams.

But there is a vision and a new level of consistency driving the Saints.

Coach Ross Lyon consulting assistant coaches at training ahead of the Christmas break. Picture: Ian Currie

Max King takes a mark at training ahead of the 2024 season. Picture: Ian Currie

Where do they finish in 2024?

Rebuilds aren’t completed in 12 months and the reality is Lyon and Stephen Silvagni knew the list required some big changes to recalibrate the salary cap.

They now have some play space to make some moves, but the trade period is a while away. The spine will be a key focus.

Henry adds class, Dow gives them some burst in the middle, and if King can have a full season he has the potential to kick 60 goals and challenge for the Coleman.

But is he hungry enough? Does he have the durability? The accuracy in front of goal?

It is a huge season for the full-forward, who the Saints need to become an A-Grader.

The midfield has plenty of workhorses, but is still in a transition phase as Owens and Phillipou look to step up alongside Seb Ross, Brad Crouch and Steele.

Adelaide, Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast, in particular, will be desperate to take the Saints’ spot in the eight this year.

If Lyon can keep them in the finals (and win 13 games) for a second-straight year, it would be a super effort.

Biggest improver in 2024?

Phillipou is the one.

The big-bodied midfield-forward has special traits and can rise up to pluck a mark, or spin out of a pack to lob a goal on the run.

But a long season caught up with him last year as the top-10 pick rounded out the campaign in quiet fashion, averaging nine touches in his last five games.

As his fitness builds (and he has shone on the track so far this preseason) Phillipou will be given greater responsibilities to lead this new era at St Kilda.

But Lyon will make him earn it with hard work at training and consistent efforts in games.

Phillipou has huge upside in his game and the Saints need him to become a legitimate star of the comp after he gets 100-150 AFL games under his belt.

Essendon took Elijah Tsatas over Phillipou at pick five in the 2022 draft, but it was a close call.

AFL. St Kilda training in hot conditions at Moorabbin. Liam Henry leads the run. Picture: Ian Currie

X-factor

Fremantle was filthy Liam Henry left and for good reason.

Just as he started to blossom on a wing, the NGA product hightailed for St Kilda.

He is exactly what the Saints need.

He has polish, precision, nice wheels and the moves to take the footy from inside congestion to out into space.

The Saints have some reliable worker bees in the engine room but, as Lyon has said, the club needed more top-end talent to finish the work inside 50m.

Watch as Henry becomes the man the Saints’ onballers want to get the Sherrin to.

They’re a side which creates the opportunities, but can they capitalise?

If Henry is lacing out King on the lead, the Saints will be dangerous.

St Kilda took West Coast NGA product Lance Collard in the draft, who has similarly clean and evasive qualities in the forward half despite the threat of homesickness.

Top draft pick Darcy Wilson is a running machine who the Saints will love using the ball on the outside.

Arie Schoenmaker had the best kick of this year’s draft class as a defender and will add penetration on the rebound.

Coach status

Contracted for three more years, Lyon was open and honest with the Saints about where the club was it when he took over in late 2022.

There is much work to be done with a fresh wave of players and the first season defied all expectations making finals.

The club’s fan base is the most excited it has been in some time, because there is a roadmap and a predictability in the way the team plays and the effort they produce.

This next bit will require a bit of patience getting more fresh faces in to fill some holes down the spine and some more top-line midfield ball users.

It’s the finishing pieces which cost the club at times in 2023.

Rowan Marshall has carried a huge load and the ruck needs some help, while another key forward target and key back would be handy.

Tim Membrey has hardly missed a beat during the preseason for the Saints. Picture: Ian Currie

Who is in the last year of contract?

Matthew Allison, Josh Battle, Dan Butler, Ryan Byrnes, Liam Stocker, Jimmy Webster, Zak Jones, Tom Campbell, Jack Hayes, Max Heath, Oli Hotton, Dougal Howard, Isaac Keeler, Angus McLennan, James van Es, Mattaes Phillipou, Jimmy Webster, Mason Wood, Tim Membrey, Seb Ross, Ben Paton and Cooper Sharman.

Outs for 2024

Oscar Adams (delisted), Leo Connolly (delisted), Jack Bytel (delisted), Tom Highmore (delisted), Jack Peris (delisted), Dan McKenzie (delisted), Jade Gresham (free agent, Essendon), Nick Coffield (traded, Western Bulldogs), Jack Billings (traded, Melbourne)

Ins for 2024

Liam Henry (traded, Fremantle), Paddy Dow (traded, Carlton), Darcy Wilson (draft No. 18), Lance Collard (28), Angus Hastie (33), Hugo Garcia (50), Arie Schoenmaker (62), Riley Bonner (pre-season draft), Liam O’Connell (international).

Originally published as St Kilda 2024: The X-factors who will help Saints go deeper into September