When evaluating the most disappointing teams of 2018, it’s hard to go past St Kilda.
Languishing in 16th place on the ladder with just four wins, the Saints have been insipid, and have failed to make the surge for finals action that many believed they were capable of.
Last season, they finished with 11 wins, one game and percentage away from a finals berth. To many, they appeared to be perched on the doorstep of the top eight – a young list ready to take the next step.
Melbourne, who stood alongside the Saints, has taken that next step, while St Kilda has gone into free-fall, a far cry from the team that annihilated eventual premiers Richmond in Round 16 last year.
How has it gone so wrong? Alan Richardson’s side had already undergone their rebuild. They let Nick Dal Santo, Ben McEvoy, and Brendon Goddard leave, looking to invest in young talent. It was a ruthless rebuild, but one that appeared necessary given ninth and 16th place finishes in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Jade Gresham of the Saints (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Retirements have accompanied these departures, with Stephen Milne, Lenny Hayes, Sam Fisher, and most recently Nick Riewoldt joining the exodus of grand finalists.
Naturally the rebuild saw an initial slump in results, with St Kilda finishing last in 2014, and 14th in 2015, before missing out on finals by percentage in 2016.
2018 was supposed to be the continuation of an upward trend, which would ultimately render the sacrifices worthwhile. Spoiler alert: that hasn’t happened.
Perhaps Riewoldt was the last remnant from the near-Premiership era holding the club together, because his retirement has led to a gaping hole in experience and leadership.
Captain Jarryn Geary has the temperament that comes with experience, finishing third in Last Year’s Best and Fairest, and playing every game. But the defender was one of just four players over the age of 26 to take the field last weekend, reflecting the lack of experience on the Saints list.
The other three 26+ year olds were Jack Steven, Sam Gilbert, and David Armitage. Of these three only Steven is in the leadership group, with the star midfielder averaging 27 disposals, and playing all 21 matches so far this season.
By contrast, Gilbert has played just ten games, and Armitage 14, reflecting the lack of experience available on a regular basis.
Geary’s leadership group consists of Steven (28 years old), Seb Ross (25), Dylan Roberton (27), and Jack Newnes (25). Ross and Newnes are only beginning to enter their prime, while Roberton has unfortunately battled a heart condition, and hasn’t played since Round 4.
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It’s a relatively inexperienced leadership group, with Ross, Roberton, and Newnes not on the list the last time the Saints played in a final.
In orchestrating the near-perfect rebuild, St Kilda left themselves devoid of experience, with only a small fraction of their list in the prime years of their career.
They were on the right path, and reached a point of competitiveness in 2016. At this point the Saints needed to supplement their investment in youth with some experienced campaigners.
They have brought in Jake Carlisle, Nathan Brown and Shane Savage, none of which are in the leadership group. Clearly, they weren’t recruited to play guiding roles, meaning that there is still a leadership void to fill.
The good news for St Kilda is that it isn’t too late. Their young talent is yet to hit prime years, with Jack Billings (23 years old), Luke Dunstan (23), Jack Lonie (22), Blake Acres (22), Jade Gresham (20), Jack Steele (22), Paddy McCartin (22), Josh Battle (19), Hunter Clark (19), and Nick Coffield (18) all yet to play 100 games.
What these players need are leaders that understand how to make a club successful. Dan Hannebery fits this criterion, and so, interestingly enough, does Goddard.
Following Essendon’s announcement that Goddard won’t be retained next year, Richardson downplayed speculation about a potential return, citing other list management priorities. But the former Saint is in many ways a perfect fit for his old club.
Goddard has averaged 22 disposals in 2018, and with the uncertainty surrounding Dylan Roberton, he could play an important role off halfback.
Much like Luke Hodge has helped nurture a young Brisbane defence, Goddard can help St Kilda’s youth develop. His passion for the club would be palpable, demonstrated by his emotional first clash against his former teammates in 2013.
Recruiting veteran players with a view to leadership and potential coaching has become a trend in the AFL, and St Kilda is a team crying out for leaders. One of their notable alumni could be the man they require.
The clock is ticking for St Kilda to yield a return on its draft investment. If it doesn’t take action before the crop of youngsters reach their prime years, then it may well be too late. Their premiership window may come and go, or worse still, never open.
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