Darcy Wilson made an instant impact in his debut season last year and looks to have a bright future ahead of him. Photo: AFL MEDIA
ST KILDA
2024 record: 11 wins, 12 losses (12th)
THE INS
Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs), Jack Carroll (Carlton), Tobie Travaglia (Bendigo Pioneers), Alix Tauru (Gippsland Power), James Barrat (Bendigo Pioneers), Hugh Boxshall (Claremont), Alex Dodson (Sturt), Patrick Said (Calder Cannons), Eamonn Armstrong (Meath – GAA), Harry Boyd (Norwood)
THE OUTS
Tim Membrey (delisted – Collingwood), Josh Battle (Hawthorn), Sebastian Ross (delisted), Riley Bonner (delisted), Ben Paton (delisted – Sydney), Tom Campbell (delisted – Melbourne), Jack Hayes (delisted), Matthew Allison (delisted), James Van Es (delisted), Olli Hotton (delisted)
THE STRENGTHS
A lot of doom and gloom has surrounded St Kilda’s lead-in to the 2025 season, but their best team still features quite a lot of quality. Rowan Marshall is in the top few ruckmen in the competition, and is terribly unlucky to not yet be an All-Australian player. Down back, Callum Wilkie is now one of the preeminent defenders in the competition, winning All-Australian honours and a best-and-fairest in his last two years, and he is joined in the backline by two of the classiest users and movers of the ball in Jack Sinclair and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. Those three certainly played crucial roles in St Kilda ending up with a top-five defence last year. Captain Jack Steele might have been slightly down on his very best numbers last year, but he is still a quality midfielder, and Bradley Hill continues to provide plenty of dash on the wing. Steele and Marshall propelled the Saints to No.5 in the league for contested possessions and seventh for tackles. Jack Higgins is becoming one of the AFL’s better small forwards, having now kicked a career-best 36 goals in each of his last two seasons. He was also the main reason why St Kilda were fifth for tackles inside 50 in 2024. And if key forward Max King can finally get a good run with injury, perhaps he will become the dominant attacking target he was touted to be when he was drafted. The Saints were a respectable ninth for disposals and seventh for marks last year, but their midfield definitely needed some bolstering which is why they brought in Bulldogs premiership star Jack Macrae. The Saints finished 2024 as one of the most in-form teams in the competition, winning eight of their last 12 games, and claiming the scalps of runner-up Sydney, preliminary finallist Geelong and eighth-placed Carlton along the way. The obvious question asked by the St Kilda faithful was: where was that form in the first half of the year? It’s a fair (and maddening) query. But on the other hand, were the Saints able to produce that sustained stretch of impressive form because there wasn’t any pressure on them as their finals hopes had gone up in smoke so swiftly? And as a result, were the shackles released, allowing them to play with freedom rather than tension? These questions make St Kilda one of the more intriguing and enigmatic teams heading into the 2025 season.
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THE WEAKNESSES
Hot on the heels of returning to the finals the season before in coach Ross Lyon’s first year back in charge, St Kilda made a disastrous start to their 2024 campaign, losing eight of their first 11 games to crash out of top-eight contention early in the piece. While the Saints were very good defensively, as is expected with Lyon-coached teams, they had the fourth-worst attack, and with Tim Membrey now gone, they still look very light on in that part of the ground. A lot will now be expected of Cooper Sharman and Anthony Caminiti. However, supply was a massive issue for the Saints too last year, hence their decision to recruit Macrae. St Kilda was 11th for inside 50s and that part of its game was not helped by the fact that it was 10th for clearances and fifth-last for centre clearances. Compounding the Saints’ scoring issues was that from sub-par supply, they were 12th for scores per inside 50 and only 10th for goals per forward entry. St Kilda was also ninth for marks inside 50 and 11th for contested marks, so it desperately needs King available most weeks after he missed 11 games last year. The Saints’ ball use has a lot to be desired as well, as they came in 15th for clangers, fifth-last for intercepts and 13th for turnovers. And as good as Marshall is, he will be stung by the fact that his side was third-bottom for hitouts. The loss of key backman Josh Battle to Hawthorn via free agency also stung the Saints into action, prompting them to go hard at defensive options at the draft. They recruited backmen with their first three picks, including top-10 prospects Tobie Travaglia and Alix Tauru. In order to qualify for the finals this year, the Saints will also be banking on the likes of Liam Henry and Hunter Clark having a better run with injury after they too missed half of last season. However, it’s already been a rough start in the medical room with King (knee), Mitch Owens (shoulder), Henry (knee), Dan Butler (Achilles), Dougal Howard (shoulder), Sharman (thumb), Mattaes Phillipou (leg), Dan Butler (Achilles) and Paddy Dow (knee) all missing Round 1, and potentially more games in most cases. With the fifth-youngest and fourth-least experienced list, the Saints may find the going tough this season.
ONE TO WATCH
Darcy Wilson made a splash in his debut year, playing every game and averaging 15 touches, four marks and 272 metres gained and kicking 15 goals, including three against North Melbourne in a 21-disposal performance. The exciting youngster picked up a Rising Star nomination, has immense talent and looks primed to go to the next level in 2025.
UNDER THE PUMP
Butler has been a very sound pick-up for the Saints, but he had a dip in form last season with just 13 goals from 16 games – his second-worst return of his career. Injuries didn’t help his cause, but with Higgins, Owens and Phillipou, competition for those smallish forward spots is hot. The club clearly believes in Butler, signing him to a new two-year deal in September so he would feel dutybound to repay that faith with a bounce-back year in 2025.
BEST 23
B: Jimmy Webster, Dougal Howard, Zaine Cordy
HB: Jack Sinclair, Callum Wilkie, Nasaiah Wanganeen-Milera
C: Bradley Hill, Jack Steele, Liam Henry
HF: Mason Wood, Anthony Caminiti, Mitchito Owens
F: Jack Higgins, Max King, Cooper Sharman
R: Rowan Marshall, Jack Macrae, Darcy Wilson
Inter: Hunter Clark, Marcus Windhager, Ryan Byrnes, Mattaes Phillipou, Zak Jones
Emerg: Dan Butler, Liam Stocker, Paddy Dow
With Battle gone, the door might just open again for Zaine Cordy to win a spot back in the team after only managing eight games last year. Butler is squeezed out of the best line-up for now and Liam Stocker is perhaps a little unlucky to suffer that fate as well.
*all team stat rankings mentioned are based on differentials, not totals (apart from overall offence and defence).
