Justin Koschitzke of St Kilda (R) consoles Nick Riewoldt (C) after the AFL Round 20 match between the Essendon Bombers and the St Kilda Saints at the Docklands Stadium. Slattery Images
The St Kilda Football Club continue to make 2009 their own. Although they dropped their first game of the year against Essendon on the weekend, they’re still red-hot favourites for their first Premiership in 43 years.
Since Ross Lyon has taken over the helm at St Kilda, he has gone from having a huge amount of criticism put on him for playing a too defensive game style, to one which has become the benchmark of the modern day game.
Since his early days as a coach, he has transformed his teams’ game style from the typical one-on-one style that Sydney play, to a balance of both attacking and defensive football.
In 2007, St Kilda were heavily criticised for playing ‘boring’ games of football, which resulted in stoppage after stoppage and low scoring.
But this has turned into a master stoke for Lyon as he has developed a team which is extremely accountable. And once they have forced the opposition into turning the football over, they have developed an attacking game that compliments its defensive style.
This supports the argument that attack is built around defence.
St Kilda’s ability to put opposition teams under pressure is by far the best by any team in the AFL. They continually hunt the opposition by out tackling and out pressuring them, forcing them to make simple mistakes that have lead to St Kilda also being able to become more attacking.
St Kilda are in the top three teams for all defensive stats, which backs up the argument that they have the best defensive game in the league.
Not only have they developed this game style, but they have also made a stand on player efforts. They have set the standard amongst the playing group.
As a player, if you do not live up to this standard, then you may find your head on the chopping block.
Two players who were dropped back to the VFL as their efforts were not up to the standard that the playing group had set, found this out recently.
This new standard that S. Kilda have set is one of the main reasons for their success and one that teams are only going to follow in the years to come.
Geelong has had the same success over the past couple of years, but St Kilda have now taken it to a new level.
The finals series will be where St Kilda continues to stamp their authority on the competition. And they will turn from being the bridesmaid of the competition, to being one of the most successful of its time.
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