ST. KILDA SEASON REVIEW: Final ladder position: 18th (4-18) Rising Star nominees: Luke Dunstan, Jack Billings Retirees/delistees: Beau Maister, Lenny Hayes, James Gwilt, Clinton Jones POSITIVES: The Saints may have beem tipped by many to win the wooden spoon at the start of the season however after 5 rounds it looked like a silly prediction as St. Kilda sat inside the top 8 at 3-2. This included victories against Melbourne, GWS and Essendon. The Saints were also able to blood some new talent, including Luke Dunstan, who on debut against the Dees won the first AFL Rising Star nomination of the year and has since inherited the number seven guernsey vacated by Lenny Hayes. Jack Billings was the club’s only other Rising Star nominee, kicking three goals and gaining 25 touches against the West Coast Eagles at Etihad Stadium midway through the year. Additionally, captain Nick Riewoldt and the now-retired Lenny Hayes continued to deliver on the field, both being key figures in most of the club’s four victories this year although Hayes did miss the win over the Dees in Round 1. NEGATIVES: After starting the season brightly, the Saints then won only one of their remaining eighteen matches, including losing eleven in a row between Rounds 6-17. They also had to contend with a horror injury toll which saw the likes of Eli Templeton, Jarryn Geary, Sam Gilbert, Arryn Siposs, Dunstan and many others spend some time on the sidelines through injuries. Beau Maister was forced to retire in June due to a shoulder injury, bringing an end to a career which spanned two clubs and 44 games. Dunstan also opted to end his season early after Round 18 to undergo shoulder surgery. Additionally, just four years after being the best defensive team of seasons 2009 and 2010, the Saints crashed to having the worst defence in season 2014, coughing up 2,436 points at an average of 110.72 points a match. With club icon Lenny Hayes having hung up the boots, and Nick Riewoldt seemingly on his last legs, the immediate future looks very bleak for the Saints. THE FUTURE: On the back of the retirements of Beau Maister and Lenny Hayes, the club has cut James Gwilt and Clinton Jones from the list as it goes about taking the long road back up to the top. As a result of the club finishing with the wooden spoon this year, they will have the first pick in this November’s draft, which the Saints will use on promising midfielder Christian Petracca or key forward Patrick McCartin We have seen Hawthorn rise from second-last on the ladder this time a decade ago to a current AFL powerhouse. That is the model the Saints should look to as they seek to return to the upper echelon of the ladder. But while the immediate future will be very difficult for the club and their supporters, there is no doubt that the Saints, whose young talent and experience mixes in very well, will one day become a force again. Therefore, there is reason for the Saints and their fans to believe.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 09:19:26 +0000
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