Review 2025 - Year in Review

[Mat Mann]

That rubbish was literally, objectively outweighed by the last quarter through the indisputable fact that we outscored them by more in the last quarter than they did in the first three quarters combined.

And mayonnaise is fantastic.

You're right, but you can't sit there and say you were happy with those 3 qtrs of footy

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Melbourne R21 pretty stiff not to make it into the best game / best highlights!

I think the 3 quarters of Rubbish outweighed the one good quarter

Yeah, the Melbourne game (last quarter) was the highlight of the year.

Not on the scoreboard

Put mayo on it anyway you want , we were rubbish for three quarters .

That rubbish was literally, objectively outweighed by the last quarter through the indisputable fact that we outscored them by more in the last quarter than they did in the first three quarters combined.

And mayonnaise is fantastic.

It was Melbourne for Gods sake , they were a rabble , The next three against the worst teams in the league we fell over the line . Anywho

We can argue about the first three quarters, or the quality of the opposition, but it’s indisputable that the last quarter was a (the) highlight of the year.

 

[CaptainRisky]

We can argue about the first three quarters, or the quality of the opposition, but it’s indisputable that the last quarter was a (the) highlight of the year.

Don't get me wrong , yes it was great to watch but FFS Melbourne were just plain stupid , Viney standing on the wing when it was our free kick and the ball was only going one way from the free was one of the dumbest things i think i have ever seen

Anyway , lets just agree to disagree as this is going nowhere

 

[gringo2011]

The season is done
What a year to summarize!

Some of our best games were losses and some of our worst were wins.
Senior players, Injuries, green shoots, NASIAH, Injuries, Hall, inconsistency.

Best win: Geelong r2 /Freo r8
Worst Loss: WC easily, Both Bulldogs games (71 & 72 points)
Best game: Freo r16 / Sydney r18
Best highlights: Nasiah resigning, the kids stepping up in moments throughout the year, topped off by Wilson's 23d/5g game
Worst lowlights: Pou and King injuries, again the WC loss

AVG home attendance: 29776 (7000 below AFL Avg)
Membership tally: 64,314 - new club record, 4k up on previous year
What are your thoughts?

Spoiler: 2025 game by game Results

Adelaide	7.2 10.4 17.7 21.9​	135​	Att: 42,985 Venue: Adelaide Oval
St Kilda	2.2 4.3 7.7 10.12​	72​	Adelaide won by 63 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	6.1 10.5 14.6 15.8​	98​	Att: 36,663 Venue: Docklands
Geelong	1.4 5.6 9.9 13.13​	91​	St Kilda won by 7 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	3.3 6.6 12.11 20.15​	135​	Att: 41,147 Venue: Docklands
Richmond	1.3 5.4 6.7 7.11​	53​	St Kilda won by 82 pts [Match stats]

Port Adelaide	2.4 5.7 8.10 10.12​	72​	Att: 34,201 Venue: Adelaide Oval
St Kilda	6.4 9.6 11.8 13.11​	89​	St Kilda won by 17 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	4.1 5.4 8.7 12.10​	82​	Att: 9,235 Venue: Norwood Oval
Greater Western Sydney	4.3 8.6 16.9 16.14​	110​	Greater Western Sydney won by 28 pts [Match stats]

Western Bulldogs	3.5 8.8 13.13 18.19​	127​	Att: 35,511 Venue: Docklands
St Kilda	4.1 4.4 6.8 8.8​	56​	Western Bulldogs won by 71 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	2.0 3.4 7.5 11.7​	73​	Att: 29,901 Venue: Docklands
Brisbane Lions	4.6 8.8 12.13 17.16​	118​	Brisbane Lions won by 45 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	2.2 4.3 8.6 14.10​	94​	Att: 20,522 Venue: Docklands
Fremantle	1.0 1.1 2.3 5.3​	33​	St Kilda won by 61 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	4.0 6.4 7.6 9.8​	62​	Att: 65,680 Venue: M.C.G.
Carlton	4.3 8.6 9.8 11.11​	77​	Carlton won by 15 pts [Match stats]

West Coast	4.2 7.5 10.10 16.12​	108​	Att: 42,860 Venue: Perth Stadium
St Kilda	2.2 4.4 6.6 12.8​	80​	West Coast won by 28 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	1.2 4.4 5.10 8.13​	61​	Att: 13,486 Venue: Docklands
Gold Coast	4.2 9.3 9.5 12.8​	80​	Gold Coast won by 19 pts [Match stats]

Melbourne	2.2 6.9 7.13 7.21​	63​	Att: 6,721 Venue: Traeger Park
St Kilda	6.2 9.4 11.6 14.7​	91​	St Kilda won by 28 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	1.4 5.6 7.9 8.12​	60​	Att: 20,508 Venue: Docklands
Western Bulldogs	4.2 10.4 16.9 20.12​	132​	Western Bulldogs won by 72 pts [Match stats]

Collingwood	5.1 8.5 12.9 16.12​	108​	Att: 43,039 Venue: Docklands
St Kilda	3.1 6.5 9.6 11.8​	74​	Collingwood won by 34 pts [Match stats]

Fremantle	2.2 5.5 6.10 11.15​	81​	Att: 41,600 Venue: Perth Stadium
St Kilda	1.5 4.8 7.12 9.15​	69​	Fremantle won by 12 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	1.2 3.6 6.10 10.14​	74​	Att: 36,035 Venue: Docklands
Hawthorn	2.5 6.6 11.6 14.10​	94​	Hawthorn won by 20 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	4.0 7.4 11.8 13.9​	87​	Att: 29,589 Venue: Docklands
Sydney	5.3 5.6 9.7 14.8​	92​	Sydney won by 5 pts [Match stats]

Geelong	6.0 10.2 15.8 17.11​	113​	Att: 29,985 Venue: Kardinia Park
St Kilda	2.2 7.5 9.7 12.10​	82​	Geelong won by 31 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	2.1 4.4 6.4 15.6​	96​	Att: 22,570 Venue: Docklands
Melbourne	6.2 9.4 13.8 13.12​	90​	St Kilda won by 6 pts [Match stats]

St Kilda	1.2 4.6 10.11 11.12​	78​	Att: 31,978 Venue: Docklands
North Melbourne	3.4 4.5 7.6 10.9​	69​	St Kilda won by 9 pts [Match stats]

Richmond	1.0 4.5 6.8 7.10​	52​	Att: 41,395 Venue: M.C.G.
St Kilda	3.2 5.3 5.6 8.8​	56​	St Kilda won by 4 pts [Match stats]

Essendon	3.2 5.6 8.7 11.9​	75​	Att: 31,107 Venue: Docklands
St Kilda	1.3 5.5 9.7 11.11​	77​	St Kilda won by 2 pts [Match stats]

Greater Western Sydney	4.3 6.6 10.7 15.14​	104	Att: 10,526 Venue: Sydney Showground
St Kilda	2.5 6.7 10.8 14.9​	93	Greater Western Sydney won by 11 pts

No one can call us fair-weather fans. To average 30k through the gates in a year without much to play for from very early on, we kept showing up.

 

[True Believer]

Does anyone think it serves the AFL well to dish us out another crap fixture next year as punishment for speaking out of turn about systemic AFL inequities?

We need to get at least a few home games early next year, against teams with more than 3 supporters....

 

[Sully111]

Shit skills

Losing to Carlton then West Coast broke me.

Enjoyed going to the footy. Geelong win (thanks Diehard lol).. Freo Win... Being at the Melbourne comeback win... few others

Tauru a fantastic highlight

Seeing Hugo develop ... awesome

Missed Max and Pou

The year of the Nas. We've got an absolute star of the competition.

Max Hall!!

Box is a thing

Keeler showed glimpses of what could be. I'm excited about this dude.

Glad Coops got to play a season up forward. Long may it continue.

The last game of the season against GWS showed more than the wins against Dons, North and Tigers. It was nice to get those 3 wins but we were ordinary. More of how we played in that last game please.

Off season... skills, skills, skills.... and decision making.... and sticking bloody tackles.

Over to you Ross.

 

[chris_h_11]

Ultimately this year has to be classed as a fail. Yes, we had some nice moments and we made some progress with the kids, but at the end of the day, we've regressed in the important metrics in each of RL's year in this stint.

13 wins in 2023, 11 in 2024, 9 this year
1775 points for in 2023, 1748 in 2024, 1839 this year
1647 points against in 2023, 1758 in 2024, 2077 this year
107.7 percentage in 2023, 99.4 in 2023, 88.5 this year

I think we came into the year with really high hopes - everything we will tell ourselves over this coming summer is the same as what we were thinking last year - the kids will improve, King will get his body right, we'll push for finals.

We'll get a sugar hit from some names coming in over trade week - but I'm not sure any of the names mentioned really move the needle for us onfield, maybe marginal improvement is the best we can hope for.

 

[CaptainRisky]

We can argue about the first three quarters, or the quality of the opposition, but it’s indisputable that the last quarter was a (the) highlight of the year.

Beating Geelong and Port at Port which we never do were far better wins , The Melbourne game was exciting but no way was it a better win in real terms

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Beating Geelong and Port at Port which we never do were far better wins , The Melbourne game was exciting but no way was it a better win in real terms

Not a better win when you take opposition and skills into account, but certainly a viewing highlight for fans (which is why I’ve watched the last quarter at least a dozen times)

Looks like we’re treating the word highlight differently.

 

[g_TRAIN]

St Kilda 2025 Season Advanced Statistical Review (Rounds 1-24) [generated with AI assistance]​

1. Executive Summary​

• Game Style: St Kilda adopted a methodical, possession-heavy style in 2025. They ranked near the top of the AFL for uncontested possessions and kicks per game, reflecting a deliberate short-kicking strategy. This resulted in an average Speed of Ball rating (100, league avg 100), indicating they moved the ball at a middling pace overall. However, the manner of movement was unique: the Saints took longer to dispose (Time rating 105) and gained less ground per disposal (Distance rating 92) than the AFL norm, pointing to a slower, chip-around approach.
• Ball Movement & Scoring: Early in the season, this measured ball movement often struggled to translate into attack. St Kilda generated relatively few inside-50 entries (48.2 per game, rank 14th), limiting scoring opportunities. Despite this, their inside-50 conversion rate was roughly league-average – about 24% of entries became goals (approx. 43% became any score, vs ~45% AFL avg). In other words, when they did go forward, they were moderately efficient at creating shots, but simply didn’t go forward enough. A lack of a key forward (with Max King
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  absent) contributed to a low marks-inside-50 rate (11.6 per game, rank ~12th) and fewer contested targets.
• Defense & Transition: Defensively, the Saints were inconsistent. They allowed opponents to score on 47% of inside-50s – one of the higher rates under Ross Lyon’s tenure – exposing issues with conceding easy marks or scores in the backline. However, their system improved markedly late in the year. After the bye, St Kilda became elite at turning defense into offense, ranking #4 for scores from intercepts and #1 for scores launched from the half-back (defensive half chains). This late-season surge in transition offense saw them win 4 of their last 5 games and nearly sneak into finals. Forward pressure was a consistent strength all year – the Saints ranked top-5 for tackles inside 50, reflecting a high-intensity front half press.
• Key Takeaways: St Kilda’s 2025 identity was one of controlled ball retention and structured defense-into-attack transitions. The team excelled in slowing opponents’ ball movement – they allowed the 3rd-fewest opponent meters gained per game and forced opponents into the fewest clangers in the AFL– but at times this came at the expense of their own attacking flair. Going forward, the Saints need to maintain their improved fast-break scoring while finding ways to increase inside-50 supply and diversify their attack, all without sacrificing their strong ball retention and pressure pillars.

2. Advanced Statistical Overview​

Metric	St Kilda (2025)	League Avg (2025)	St Kilda Rank	Commentary (Context & Meaning)
Ball Movement – Speed Rating	100 (index)	100 (index)	8th of 18	Average tempo. Champion Data’s “Speed of Ball” index combines how quickly and directly teams move the ball (100 = AFL avg). St Kilda was exactly average overall, but how they achieved it was unique – they played slow in disposal (Time 105) and short in distance (Distance 92), meaning lots of short, patient kicks rather than fast end-to-end bursts. This indicates a controlled style aimed at maintaining possession, albeit at the cost of rapid territory gain.
Defensive Chain to Inside-50 (%)	20% (est.)	~22% (est.)	~10–12th	Below-par ball movement from defense. Approx. one in five chains from St Kilda’s defensive half resulted in an inside-50 entry, slightly below AFL average. This aligns with their mid-pack rank in moving from defense to attack. Notably, after mid-season they excelled here – finishing #1 in scores from half-back chains post-bye – but across all 24 rounds the early struggles kept this metric around average.
Inside-50 Scoring Efficiency (%)	~45%	~46%	~10th	Average scoring conversion. St Kilda scored on roughly 45% of forward 50 entries (goals or behinds per inside-50). This is middle of the pack – for context, the top teams exceeded 50%, while the lowest were near 34%. St Kilda’s rate reflects competent ball use going inside 50 despite the lack of tall targets. Their goals per entry (~24%) were similarly average. The issue was quantity, not quality: they simply didn’t generate enough entries (ranked 14th in inside-50s).
Ball Retention (Disposals/Turnover)	5.97 disposals per TO	~6.3 disp/TO	14th	Retention moderate; some turnover issues. This measures how many disposals the team strings together for each turnover conceded. St Kilda averaged ~6.0 disposals before turning it over, a bit worse than league average (higher is better). They were efficient in one sense – their careful kicking meant opponents made only 59 intercepts per game, 3rd-fewest vs StK, indicating the Saints seldom kicked directly to the opposition. However, many of their turnovers came in other ways (fumbles, stoppages or pressured errors). The net effect was that while they protected possession with short kicks, when forced into contested situations they coughed it up relatively often.
Short Kick Ratio (% of kicks)	High (approx. 50%+)*	~40% (est.)	Top 3	Very high short-pass usage. Although an exact percentage is not officially provided, multiple indicators confirm St Kilda’s propensity for short kicks: they gained only 15.6 metres per disposal (league rank ~14th), and had one of the lowest “Distance to Goal” ratings (90) in Champion Data’s speed metric. In practice, this means a huge proportion of their kicks were lateral or short (<20m). They ranked 4th in total kicks but only 17th in contested marks, highlighting that most kicks were to uncontested targets. St Kilda clearly emphasized controlled, short passing chains in 2025.
Long Kick Ratio (% of kicks)	Low (approx. 15%)*	~20% (est.)	Bottom 3	Avoidance of long bombs. Corollary to the above, St Kilda rarely employed long kicks down the line. They were among the bottom teams for meters gained and for launching attacks from kick-ins or quick rebounds. Their “Threat” kick rating – which rewards kicks that lead to scoring chains – was modest, suggesting they seldom took daring long kicks that break open play. This conservative approach limited turnovers from risky long kicks (helping their low opponent intercept rate) but also meant fewer rapid surges in territory. (*Estimated ratios; exact Champion Data breakdown not publicly available.)

Sources: Champion Data via Fox Sports (Speed of Ball)foxsports.com.aufoxsports.com.au; FootyWire Team Stats (AFL averages, ranks)footywire.comfootywire.com; St Kilda internal data.

3. Strengths​

• Ball Control & Possession Game: St Kilda excelled at controlling the ball. They ranked 5th for uncontested possessions per game and 4th for kicks per game, reflecting a deliberate chip-mark style. This allowed them to dictate tempo and deny opponents easy possession. Notably, their careful ball use resulted in opponents averaging only ~59 intercepts per game (3rd-fewest in the AFL) – a testament to the Saints’ ability to retain possession with safe options and not kick it straight to the opposition.
• Forward Half Pressure: Despite a methodical offense, the Saints brought intense pressure once the ball entered attacking territory. They averaged 10.9 tackles inside 50 per game (ranked top 5) This sustained forward pressure often locked the ball in their front half and created repeat opportunities. The high pressure factor is also reflected by St Kilda being #1 in forcing opposition clangers (mistakes) – opponents committed the fewest turnovers against St Kilda of any team, indicating the Saints harassed ball carriers effectively.
• Defensive Transition (Late-Season): St Kilda became a lethal counter-attacking side as the season progressed. After Round 15, their scores from defensive-half chains skyrocketed – by season’s end they ranked #4 in intercept-to-score and #1 in half-back to score opportunity rate. Essentially, they turned opponent turnovers into scores better than nearly anyone in the back half of the year. This improvement in ball movement from defense (a credit to coaching adjustments) gave the Saints a more modern, speedy dimension to complement their slow build-up play.
• Clearance and Contest: While not elite in raw contested possession totals, the Saints were surprisingly solid in clearance metrics. They broke even or won many stoppage battles (St Kilda had a slight edge in total clearances per game, ~37.7 vs opponents’ 36.7). Their ruck man-centric approach – despite lacking midfield star power – meant St Kilda was 4th in the AFL for stoppage clearance differential. This strength in structured contests helped mitigate the impact of their lower inside-50 count by giving them repeat opportunities from ball-ups and throw-ins.

4. Areas for Improvement​

• Inside-50 Supply & Efficiency: The Saints’ inside-50 entry count was in the bottom five (only ~48 per game). A slow, methodical buildup often saw them probing without penetrating, resulting in fewer scoring forays. Even though their scoring-shot conversion per entry was around average, boosting the sheer volume of entries is crucial. More aggressive ball movement (when appropriate) – e.g. switching play faster or taking on the corridor – could increase inside-50s. Additionally, shot quality can improve: many of St Kilda’s inside-50s led to wide or low-value shots. Seeking better forward structure (e.g. leading patterns to central hotspots) could raise their goal per entry ratio from the ~24% range toward the elite ~27–30%.
• Lack of Direct Play / Overuse of Short Kicks: At times St Kilda’s over-reliance on short kicks made them predictable and allowed well-organized defenses to set up. They were among the slowest ball-movers by foot – as Champion Data noted, “St Kilda is attempting to [chip] it around like Brisbane, but with less success.” The low “Distance to Goal” on their disposals (90 index) meant they often went sideways. This approach yielded high possession counts but not enough territorial gain, especially against strong zone setups. Recommendation: incorporate more mix of long 45-degree kicks or quick play-on transitions to keep the opposition off balance. A slightly higher long-kick ratio (even up to league average ~20%) would add a necessary “plan B” when the patient method isn’t breaking the defensive press.
• Contested Marking & F50 Targets: St Kilda was one of the weakest marking sides in contested situations. They ranked 17th in contested marks per game and managed relatively few marks inside 50 (often trailing top teams by a wide margin). Without Max King
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  , their forward line lacked a reliable tall target, resulting in many entries creating a neutral contest or quick rebound for the opposition. Indeed, the Saints allowed the 5th-highest rebound-50 rate in the league, reflecting how often their attacks came straight back out. Improvement focus: bolstering the key forward stocks (and/or encouraging current forwards to take more marks on the lead) will help retain the ball inside 50. Even a modest uptick in marks inside 50 (St Kilda ~12 per game vs. top teams ~14-16) would translate to more set-shot opportunities and less pressure on the defense from rebound turnovers.
• Defensive Conversions (Scores Against): For a Ross Lyon-coached side, St Kilda’s defense was unusually permissive at times. Opponents scored on ~47% of their inside-50 entries against the Saints – a rate in the bottom third of the AFL. This points to defensive lapses, whether losing one-on-ones or allowing easy hit-up leads inside 50. St Kilda also struggled in aerial contests defensively, evidenced by ranking last in preventing opposition contested marks. Strengthening team defense is critical: tightening intercept marking (perhaps via a spare defender) or improving spoil effectiveness (they were 18th in one-percenters, i.e. spoils/smothers) will reduce clean opposition marks and thus scoring shots. A more aggressive defensive 50 setup – for example, trusting defenders to peel off and help – could bring that scores-against per entry down closer to the ~40% league benchmark.
• Playing Quicker When Required: There were games where the Saints’ measured style turned into costly stagnation, especially when trailing. They finished the season with the third-lowest average meters gained, under 5,600m per game. While controlling tempo is useful, recognizing moments to switch gears is an area to develop. When St Kilda did play on instinct (e.g. in fast patches against top teams), they looked far more dangerous. Empowering players to take territory – through overlap run or risky kicks – when the situation calls for it could produce more multi-goal bursts. Essentially, the Saints need to add a dash of dare to their discipline. Finding this balance will turn some close losses into wins.

 

[westernsainter]

Key stats for 2025.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

- King, Poo, Doogs, Basic skills, coaching, fixture, draw, effort, Sandy
+Naz, Hall, Higgo, midfield improvement, Saints vfl,
<>Tauru, Doddy, Lancey Boy, Keels, Willy

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Does anyone think it serves the AFL well to dish us out another crap fixture next year as punishment for speaking out of turn about systemic AFL inequities?

We need to get at least a few home games early next year, against teams with more than 3 supporters....

If they continue to try and keep the focus on Collingwood Essendon Carlton and Richmond at the expense of the the majority they’re going to go campaigner up.

 

[ScrappyDo]

- King, Poo, Doogs, Basic skills, coaching, fixture, draw, effort, Sandy
+Naz, Hall, Higgo, midfield improvement, Saints vfl,
<>Tauru, Doddy, Lancey Boy, Keels, Willy

Basic skills are fine. Composer is the issue and it comes with experience.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Basic skills are fine. Composer is the issue and it comes with experience.

Handballing has fallen away this year, I thought our hands were one of our strengths last year.
Tackling is abysmal.
But yes I agree with the composure thing.

 

[hayes]

The best part about this year was the young players to me. It was probably the only positive, the gameplan was all over the place week to week and our senior players apart from Sinclair, Wilkie and Marshall either let us down or aren’t up to it. The young guys have shown that much that I would’ve doubled down on the draft/slow build rather than going with some of the names that are out there ATM but we’ll see how all that goes. The 24 year old Aleer types who fill a massive gap in the list yes but let’s take it easy with the 28+29 year olds.

I think if we’re serious next year guys like Steele, Hill, Jones and maybe even Macrae aren’t playing. There’s no place for one paced midfielders anymore, Hill is almost a liability and Jones is just a waste of a list spot at this point.

Highlight games:

- Loved the Geelong and Port wins from early in the year.

- The Melbourne comeback was like an out of body experience.

Lowlight games:

- Obviously the Dogs who we can’t get near.

- The Richmond game at the G was a complete and utter waste of 120 mins.

Overall the young core looks good. Keep adding to Max, Nas, Garcia, Hall, Phillipou, Wilson, Tauru etc. We have to keep our first rounder this year, now isn’t the time to stop adding to that group above.

 

[Saints TV]

My reflections of season 2025.

 

[The Punter]

Was our forward line and our ability to score our main problem?

The answer: not any more.

We actually had our best offensive season since 2020. But it was our worst season conceding since 2018.

Year	Average Score For	Average Score Against
2016	88.77	92.77
2017	87.50	90.27
2018	73.00	96.59
2019	74.77	89.14
2020* (adjusted)	83.88	75.07
2021	74.73	81.64
2022	77.41	77.95
2023	77.17	72.83
2024	76.00	76.43
2025	79.96	90.30

 

[jumperfan]

Was our forward line and our ability to score our main problem?

The answer: not any more.

We actually had our best offensive season since 2020. But it was our worst season conceding since 2018.

Year	Average Score For	Average Score Against
2016	88.77	92.77
2017	87.50	90.27
2018	73.00	96.59
2019	74.77	89.14
2020* (adjusted)	83.88	75.07
2021	74.73	81.64
2022	77.41	77.95
2023	77.17	72.83
2024	76.00	76.43
2025	79.96	90.30

To be expected when you lose 2/3rds of your first choice key defenders for the whole season. I think we did OK defensively considering that.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Does anyone think it serves the AFL well to dish us out another crap fixture next year as punishment for speaking out of turn about systemic AFL inequities?

We need to get at least a few home games early next year, against teams with more than 3 supporters....

We might get a better fixture given we are getting hyped a bit