St Kilda Saints' list for 2019 after AFL trade and draft periods

Mick Stirling

St Kilda Saints' list for 2019 after AFL trade and draft periods image

The dust has finally settled on AFL post-season activity and all 18 clubs have completed their lists for 2019.

Who’s come in via trades, free agency and the national and rookie drafts? Who’s gone out the other way?

And, most importantly, how does the list look after all the changes?

MORE: AFL draft: every pick, every player, every club

This week, Sporting News is going through each club’s changes to analyse whether steps have been taken forwards, backwards or if they’re just treading water.

St Kilda Saints

In

Trade:

Dan Hannebery (Sydney), Dean Kent (Melbourne)

Dan Hannebery

Free agency:

NA

Draft:

Max King (4 – Sandringham Dragons), Jack Bytel (41 – Calder Cannons), Matthew Parker (47 – South Fremantle), Nick Hind (54 – Essendon VFL), Robert Young (67 – North Adelaide)


 

Rookie:

Callum Wilkie (North Adelaide)

Out

Traded:

Tom Hickey (West Coast)

Delisted:

Ray Connellan, Nathan Freeman, Sam Gilbert, Hugh Goddard (rookie drafted by Carlton), Darren Minchington, Maverick Weller (PSS to Richmond),
Nathan Wright

Retired:

Koby Stevens

St Kilda’s 2019 list

There was a belief the Saints’ list was in good nick going into 2018, but by the end of the season it looked leakier than a colander that had been used for target practice on a rifle range.

Surprisingly though, they were relatively quiet through the trade period, adding a mid-range player in Kent and a fallen star in Hannebery. 

The former Swan is only 27, has three All-Australian blazers in the wardrobe and an AFLCA Best Player trophy on the mantle piece, so if he can somehow find his old form he’ll be a massive asset for a side that needs tough on-ballers.

King was an interesting draft choice, probably the best available player at pick four, but a tall forward is not necessarily the most pressing need at Moorabbin right now. Hopefully they aren’t planning to develop him as a ruckman.

Max King draft

Verdict

It’s hard to see the Saints making any great leaps forward with the less-than-inspiring changes made to an underwhelming side. Fans will be hoping it was more an ‘underachieving side, and that improvement will come from within.

Mick Stirling