St KIlda finished season 2021 in tenth place on the AFL ladder, with ten wins and 12 losses. They finished a lot of percentage and a win behind the Essendon Bombers who finished in eighth place.
The fact that Marc Murphy thought Carlton shouldn’t have sacked Brett Ratten speaks volumes for his ability as a coach. Despite that, he is arguably the coach under the most pressure, according to some astute people.
Along with the Richmond Tigers and the Fremantle Dockers, St Kilda only had four players who played every game in 2021: Jack Steele, Bradley Hill, Callum Wilkie and Daniel Butler. Of those four players, only Jack Steele can be classified as elite. The other three should have been rested or managed as they didn’t deserve to play 22 games.
There’s no doubt that the likes of Paddy Ryder and Dan Hannebery provide leadership, but they should be rested for part of the season as footy is a results-based industry and they both battled injury in season 2021. They will be boosted by the return from injury of Jade Gresham, who is a match winner.
The choice of making Jack Steele the sole captain was probably the right call, as he is extremely consistent and you know what you’re going to get from him.
St Kilda are an interesting case study.
Rowan Marshall will ‘make or break’ St Kilda’s season in 2022, because Paddy Ryder is going to need help in the ruck as his days as a ruckman St Kilda solely rely on are gone.
In season 2021, Saints won eight of the 13 games that Rowan Marshall featured in. Four of the five losses were against top four teams, as they lost twice to the Geelong Cats and twice to Port Adelaide Power.
There’s no doubt that Marshall needs to improve his game with regards to scoreboard more. He should average at least a goal a game, as he will start up forward with Paddy Ryder still taking the bigger proportion of ruck work, in season 2022, if fit and available.
Above all else, what Marshall needs is a bit of luck and to stay injury free.
(Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Brad Crouch needs to improve on his equal fifth-place finish in the season 2021 best and fairest for St Kilda. He did miss the opening two games through suspension, but he could have still played even better than he did in season 2021.
There’s no reason why Brad Crouch can’t be in the All Australian squad in season 2022.
Brad Crouch is 28 years old, which means that he should be looking at season 2022 as a pivotal season in the context of his career as he needs to get better if St Kilda are to reach their optimum level.
Fortunately for Crouch, Jack Steele will probably get tagged every game, which Crouch should benefit from.
Jack Billings needs to be at his best in season 2022 as he is a player with so much potential. He has signed a contract that will see him stay at St Kilda until 2025.
He is 26 years old so it’s a make or break season for him. In season 2021 he failed to finish in the top ten of St Kilda’s best and fairest, despite featuring in 18 games, which is unacceptable for a player of his quality.
Billings will need to be at his best as St Kilda are lacking quality outside players. He will have to carry the brunt of the opposition negating him, as Bradley Hill and Dan Hannerbery were household names, but they are past their best. It’s inconceivable that Billings finishes outside the top five of St Kilda’s best and fairest in season 2022, should he be fit and available for all of their games, which hopefully includes finals!
Jack Sinclair is arguably one of St Kilda’s key players who could make or break their season in season 2022. He finished second in St Kilda’s best and fairest. In the one game he did miss in season 2021, in Round 20, St Kilda lost by 31 points! Despite missing that game, Sinclair finished second in St Kilda’s best and fairest in season 2021.
Sinclair is St Kilda’s main source of run off the halfback line, which is where he found his niche in season 2021. His value to the team is immense and he could decide whether St Kilda reach their potential in season 2022.
Sinclair’s value to the team can’t be measured in stats as he is a player that is extremely pivotal, with no other players capable of playing the role he plays on a halfback flank.
It will be intriguing to see if he builds on his season 2021 form and if St Kilda are in the race for a top-eight finish in season 2022.
Fraser Gehrig's Mullet
Roar Rookie
Agree with most of your points. 2 things though… Early on you say Callum Wilkie didn’t deserve to play every game and should have been dropped or managed. Disagree strongly with this, he’s been an incredible pick up and hugely undervalued to those who don’t watch the saints regularly. Plays on all sizes and rarely ever beaten one on one, handy for a team with not much key position depth. Also with coffield going down with an ACL, Josh battle will have a massive role in the defence and this could be a make it break year for him, has the potential to be anything but often goes missing…
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
I reckon that means mitchito Owens comes in for an early debut next season given that he can play on the half back line as well as through the midfield. He’s also the same size as coffield
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nick Coffield has done in his acl now too
Macca
Roar Rookie
Maybe but he did play 20 games last year.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Perhaps Jimmy Webster will feel the void left by Coffield.
Macca
Roar Rookie
ACL for Coffield - not great for the Saints who need to be as close to their best 22 as much as possible
robertbrob13226
Roar Rookie
Already taken step backwards 10/7 2020 10/12 2021 My maths teacher says you are going down in grades not up
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah and a second round draft pick too. But it was worth it on the off chance that Hannerbery somehow managed to make his way back to his best. The trade first mentality of st Kilda has not paid off, and they may end up needing to take a couple steps backwards
berrlins
Roar Pro
Hills contract is not the only one and at least he has the time to turn it around. Hanners is cooked and that's 500 grand wasted (at least)
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
True but Heath is more of a forward ruckman and they both have the ailment of two first names
Macca
Roar Rookie
They did pick up Campbell and also have Max Heath on the rookie list who is a 204cm 19 year old plus they drafted the 197cm Oscar Adams who is listed as a defender/ruck they could possibly work with.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
They went after Tristan Xerri for that very reason, I believe they also picked up Tom Campbell for that reason in the delisted free agency period
Chris M
Guest
What is St Kilda going to do with its ruck setup when Paddy Ryder retires? Is Rowan Marshall going to be able to take the responsibility of carrying the load? If St Kilda finds a player to work in tandem with Marshall, will the setup be as effective? All drafts aren't equal. Jack Billings was pick 3. So was Dustin Martin, but others since Martin include: Sam Day; Dom Tyson; Lachie Plowman; Angus Brayshaw; Callum Mills; Hugh McCluggage; Paddy Dow; Izak Rankine; Luke Jackson; Will Phillips; Finn Callaghan. Clubs always don't end up picking one of the three best players with pick 3, even if they looked great during their junior years. At 26 years of age, Billings has still got time to find the key to unlocking whatever is holding him back from reaching whatever people his potential is. Nonetheless, the possibility is that as a package he is not capable of fulfilling the potential that people perhaps mistakenly think that he has.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Marshall, Ryder and Gresham would be the most important player for me. When Ryder and Marshall play together the Saints look a different team and Gresham adds that excitement to a midfield full of hard but unexciting mids like Steele, Crouch, Hannebury and Jones.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Thanks for the shout out mate. I still stand by my call about Brett Ratten being under the most pressure because unlike the Suns or North or Hawthorn the Saints actually have some expectations placed upon them they can’t afford the mid table ignominy they had last year particularly when the pundit class has you as an outside shot of making the top four. As for your important players I largely agree except I would probably find room for Membrey or Sharman both of whom will need to fire to relieve pressure on Max King
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nah Butler needs to adapt to the rule changes like the stand rule but the Hill contract is leaving the saints list management team with a rather large egg on their faces
berrlins
Roar Pro
Your comments on Hill and Butler are well off, if the Saints are to do anything this year they need Hill and Butler back to their best. Butler 2 seasons ago was almost all Australian, if he can get to that level again they become unpredictable up forward and dangerous. Higgins also, the kid is a star, just needs to get his set shot in order and it'll go a long way to helping the Saints. With an easier draw I could see them playing finals although I doubt they'll do much, not exactly filled with elite talent.
robertbrob13226
Roar Rookie
Hannebery should be rested as a result based industry. That means he wil play 5 games this year . Great comment typifies Stkida