Hopes are high at Moorabbin in 2020 after a big off-season recruitment drive, though Tim Watson has warned Saints fans not to get ahead of themselves.
Former Fremantle gun Bradley Hill headlines the new arrivals at the club, while Paddy Ryder, Zak Jones, Dougal Howard and Dan Butler will also be playing in red, white and black next year.
Having finished 14th last season and not played finals since 2011, the Saints will be hoping the new additions, under the guidance of Brett Ratten, can spur them on to a September appearance.
MORE: Suns midfielder Jack Martin set to ask for lucrative long term deal in pre-season draft
Though, speaking on SEN on Tuesday, former Essendon champ Watson has questioned the credentials of some of the recruits.
"Everybody has been waxing lyrically about how well St Kilda did in the trade period,” Watson said.
"Brad Hill finished third in Freo’s best and fairest. Dougal Howard... didn’t finish anywhere, Paddy Ryder... didn’t finish anywhere, Dan Butler... didn’t finish anywhere, (Zak) Jones... didn’t finish in the top 10.
"We have all jumped on board. It surprised me that none of these guys had finished better.
I know Butler didn’t play a lot this year, Jones I thought would have been a top 10 player for Sydney... we knew that Dougal Howard finished the year playing in the twos.
"Maybe we just need to pull back a little bit on how well they have recruited."
The Saints will be going into their first season with Ratten in charge, the former Blues coach taking over following Alan Richardson's sacking in July.
St Kilda won three of their six games under Ratten in 2019 and with a host of fresh faces at the club, fans will be hoping they've turned a corner after a prolonged spell at the wrong end of the ladder.
