AFL Draft: Can St Kilda start a golden era at this year's draft?

Mick Stirling

AFL Draft: Can St Kilda start a golden era at this year's draft? image

In the days leading up to the AFL draft Sporting News is taking a look at each club’s selections, needs, likely draftees and historical performance on draft day.

Do they like to load up on youth, or prefer to trade away early picks?

Will they lean towards home-grown talent or trust their systems to stop homesick kids leaving in a couple of years’ time?

MORE: St Kilda's 2018 AFL season review

And what’s on this year’s shopping list: talls, midfielders or a creative small forward?

ST KILDA SAINTS

Draft picks after the trade period: 4, 36, 46, 67, 79

What St Kilda needs

Theoretically the Saints have got key forwards and backs, classy midfielders, crafty goalsneaks and creative running defenders, which means what they need is for their current list to stand up.

It would be crazy to target a full forward when they’ve already got Paddy McCartin, Tim Membrey and Josh Bruce, but they may look at some tall defenders with their later picks.

#Paddy McCartin Tim Membrey

The addition of Dan Hannebery adds some much-needed grunt on the ball if the ex-Swan can get back to somewhere near his best form, but more inside midfielders will most likely be in the sights.

St Kilda’s likely draftees

There’s a good chance the Saints could still swap pick four for two later picks and they seem to be angling for Port Adelaide’s 10 and 15 or the Crows’ 8 and 16.

If they don’t exchange selections then Victorian midfielder Bailey Smith could be their best bet. Smith’s stocks have been rising rapidly though and he’s a chance to be grabbed by Gold Coast before the Saints get a chance, depending on the Suns’ strategy.

#Bailey Smith

Izak Rankine is less of a ball-winner but a better ball-user, and if Smith is gone Rankine will be available and well worth the selection.

Pick 36 will most likely go on a best available, but St Kilda’s next selection, currently 46, could be aimed at a tall defender, with Riley Grundy (Brodie’s little brother) and Kyle Reid worthy choices.

St Kilda’s draft history 1986 – 2017

Number of top-20 selections: 37

Average games played at the Saints by top-20 selections: 90.4

Most games played for the Saints by a top-20 selection
336 Nick Riewoldt (pick 1, 2000)
277 Lenny Hayes (pick 11, 1998)
260 Nick Dal Santo (pick 13, 2001)

Nick Riewoldt Jack Riewoldt

Most games played for the Saints by later selections
287 Leigh Montagna (pick 37, 2001)
252 Justin Peckett (pre-season pick 49, 1992)
228 Sam Fisher (pick 55, 2003)

Leigh Montagna

Most games played by rookie draft selections:
275 Steven Milne (2001)
163 Jarryn Geary (2007)

Steven Milne

In AFL draft history St Kilda …

… would be wishing they could have another couple of years like 2000 and 2001. The Saints picked up Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke in 2000 as well as trading for Fraser Gehrig and Aaron Hamill. They backed it up the next year with Luke Ball, Xavier Clarke, Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna while elevating Steven Milne from the rookie list, setting themselves up for genuine flag tilts from 2008 to 2010.

Fraser Gehrig

Mick Stirling