News 2021 St.Kilda Media Thread

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Bill Mohr

Club Legend
Jun 18, 2021
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St Kilda 2022 preview: Season predictions for the Saints
One had his season wrecked by a sickening collision, another finished with a bang, while the mid-season pick showed something special. Will they take a step in 2022?

Rebecca Williams
Rebecca Williams
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@BecHeraldSun
3 min read
December 27, 2021 - 6:00AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
13 comments
Are these three Saints set to take a big step in 2022?
Are these three Saints set to take a big step in 2022?
St Kilda sputtered early last season and never really got going, but will things be different in 2022?

Rebecca Williams runs the rule over Brett Ratten’s Saints.

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After storming into the semi-finals in 2020 — the team’s first finals appearance since 2011, the hopes of the Saints taking another step in 2021 were dashed.

As injuries cruelled the team’s campaign, with 162 games lost to the best 22, the Saints fell outside the top eight to finish 10th with a 10-12 record.

Can Brett Ratten get the best out of the Saints in 2021? Picture: Michael Klein
Can Brett Ratten get the best out of the Saints in 2021? Picture: Michael Klein
The Saints were unable to recover from a poor start to the season, losing four of their first 11 games by more than 50 points.

St Kilda president Andrew Bassat said on the club’s best and fairest awards night the Saints had failed to meet on-field expectations.

After topping up with mature-age talent in recent years, St Kilda has, this year, opted to take the path of regenerating its list at the draft.

COACH:Brett Ratten

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CAPTAIN: Jack Steele and Jarryn Geary

Captain Jack Steele clearly loves being at St Kilda, signing a new long-term deal in the off-season. Picture: Mark Stewart
Captain Jack Steele clearly loves being at St Kilda, signing a new long-term deal in the off-season. Picture: Mark Stewart
WHERE DO THEY FINISH IN 2022
If the Saints can have a clear run with injuries and recapture the speed and run which took them to the semi-finals in 2020, there is no reason they can’t be in the finals mix next year.

They only finished a game – and percentage – outside of the top-eight this season with an injury-ravaged list.

There is plenty of upside among the young players on the list with Max King, Jack Bytel, Hunter Clark and Cooper Sharman and they will be hoping Bradley Hill can recapture his best form.

Where will the Saints finish in season 2022?
1-6
7-12
13-18

Cast your vote


BIGGEST IMPROVER
Hunter Clark. A broken jaw following a brutal collision with David McKay stopped short a season where the Saints’ smooth mover took another step forward. Has looked at home at half back but it’s in the midfield where he really could be the player the Saints need. His Round 1 effort against the Giants in the wet was a glimpse of what he is capable of. All he needs now is to force his way into the middle of the ground and continue his rise.

Could Hunter Clark be a break out star for the Saints? Picture: Michael Klein
Could Hunter Clark be a break out star for the Saints? Picture: Michael Klein


X-FACTOR
Max King. The No.4 draft pick has all the makings of an elite forward and is a young player Saints fans can get excited about. The 202cm King shrugged off goal kicking yips early in the year to boot 38 goals in his second season at the club, including a six goal haul against West Coast in Round 19. Mid-year recruit Cooper Sharman also impressed in the five games he played after the forward was taken in the mid-year rookie draft in June, kicking 10 goals in four games.

Max King can build on a super finish to the season in front of the sticks. Picture: Michael Klein
Max King can build on a super finish to the season in front of the sticks. Picture: Michael Klein


COACH STATUS
Entering his third year of his tenure at St Kilda, the pressure will be on Brett Ratten to get the Saints back into finals contention in the last year of his contract.

Ratten will be hoping he has the football injury gods on his side and the Saints will need a strong start to the season to hose down any speculation about his future.

In the last year of his contract, Jack Bytel will be looking to impress. Picture: Michael Klein
In the last year of his contract, Jack Bytel will be looking to impress. Picture: Michael Klein
WHO IS IN LAST YEAR OF CONTRACT
Ben Long, Ben Paton, Dan Butler, Dan Hannebery, Daniel McKenzie, Darragh Joyce, Dean Kent, Jack Bytel, Jack Steele, Jarryn Geary, Jimmy Webster, Josh Battle, Mason Wood, Matthew Allison, Max Heath, Paddy Ryder, Rowan Marshall, Ryan Byrnes, Tom Highmore.

INS FOR 2022
Tom Campbell (delisted free agent), Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (pick 11), Mitch Owens (33), Marcus Windhager (47), Oscar Adams (51), Jack Peris (category B rookie), Josiah Kyle (category B rookie)

OUTS FROM 2021
Sam Alabakis (delisted), Jake Carlisle (retired), Oscar Clavarino (delisted), Luke Dunstan (unrestricted free agent – Melbourne), James Frawley (retired), Paul Hunter (delisted), Jack Lonie (delisted), Shaun McKernan (retired), Dylan Roberton (retired)

Will Bradley Hill fulfil the promise that made the Saints commit big dollar to him? Picture: Michael Klein
Will Bradley Hill fulfil the promise that made the Saints commit big dollar to him? Picture: Michael Klein


FIRST SIX GAMES AND HOW MANY THEY WIN
Round 1: Collingwood @ Marvel Stadium (W)

Round 2: Fremantle @ Optus Stadium (L)

Round 3: Richmond @ Marvel Stadium (L)

Round 4: Hawthorn @ MCG (W)

Round 5: Gold Coast @ Marvel Stadium (W)

Round 6: GWS @ Manuka (L)

3 wins, 3 losses

BEST 22 IN ‘22
B: Howard, Wilkie, Webster

HB: Sinclair, Highmore, Clark

C: Hill, Crouch, Billings

HF: Gresham, Marshall, Membrey

F: Butler, King, Higgins

Foll: Ryder, Steele, Jones

More Coverage
Saints declare list management shift after 2021 failure
The dreammaker: Why Ratts will take Saints all the way
Thomas time bomb: Saints board ‘mistaken’ over flag hopes
Saint’s bold call on future of bump
Inter: Ross, Paton, Hannebery, Sharman

Emerg: Wanganeen-Milera, McKenzie, Bytel, Geary, Coffield
Could win 4 of those games. Coffield and Bytel on the bench instead of Ross and Paton. Still looks light on for top midfielders.
 
After topping up with mature-age talent in recent years, St Kilda has, this year, opted to take the path of regenerating its list at the draft.

I've seen a few media pundits say something along this line and the laziness of it annoys me. Of course we went to the draft this year. We were always going to the draft this year
  • We nominated 4 NGA kids
  • These kids had been under out noses for years and we knew them inside and out
  • In a second straight year of decimated underage competitions this made them even more valuable
  • With the changing NGA rules this would be our one and only chance to gather a harvest like this
So of course we went to the draft!
 

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Ephemeral Hope

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Apr 24, 2021
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I've seen a few media pundits say something along this line and the laziness of it annoys me. Of course we went to the draft this year. We were always going to the draft this year
  • We nominated 4 NGA kids
  • These kids had been under out noses for years and we knew them inside and out
  • In a second straight year of decimated underage competitions this made them even more valuable
  • With the changing NGA rules this would be our one and only chance to gather a harvest like this
So of course we went to the draft!
Most articles don’t know anything about the intricacies of our list other than the over done “old list” “lots of recruits/mercenary culture”
 

RWBlyf

Club Legend
Sep 23, 2016
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They have to say something. I guess the other option is to say "We've been sh*t for years, we might not be so bad next year, sign up!"

Or go the full Carlton, "Can you smell what we did in our pants?".
 

Premium

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Oct 8, 2016
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Or go the full Carlton, "Can you smell what we did in our pants?".
Anyone who has followed us should well untruly know we have a squad capable of achieving next year , the expectations were there this year but we fell flat on our face due to injury and having no back up players to fill the void.
Last year we had our biggest membership ever and the belief is there to top that next season.
 
Or go the full Carlton, "Can you smell what we did in our pants?".
Seems like a bit of a disconnect between media and football, but definitely something wasn't communicated to the media guys properly. At the AGM, Ratten stressed the point of letting our actions do the talking. I think giving supporters updates on the pre-season is good and needed, but this sappy music over the top of some diatribe about how we've come back from adversity, we've answered challenges and we're rising is packed full of cringe. I ask myself just what was the point of that video. I mean I know it was to generate optimisim etc but, you know, we missed the eight. Who talks like that after missing the eight lol.
 

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