Team: ST KILDA
Ins: Andrew Lovett (Essendon), Brett Peake (Fremantle), Nicholas Winmar (Claremont), Jesse Smith (North Melbourne), Adam Pattison (Richmond), Will Johnson (Sandringham, VFA), Zac Dawson (promoted rookie), Luke Miles (promoted rookie). Rookies - Mark Hutchings (East Perth), Daniel Archer (Clarence), Jarryd Allen (St Kilda), Leigh Fisher (St Kilda), Tommy Walsh (County Kerry, Ireland)
Outs: Jarryd Allen (retired), Max Hudghton (retired), Matt Maguire (Brisbane Lions), Colm Begley (delisted), Eljay Connors (delisted), Khan Haretuku (delisted), Ross Tungatalum (delisted), Sam McGarry (delisted), Luke Ball (Collingwood), Leigh Fisher (delisted), Brad Howard (delisted)
Draw: It's a mixed bag for the Saints. While they only have to play three 2009 finalists twice in Essendon, Adelaide and Collingwood - the only fellow top-four team from last year, they must play all six non-Victorian teams on their home turf. St Kilda's longest stretch in Melbourne is from Round 16-21. It has also been recognised as a big AFL drawcard this season with no less than six appearances in the plum Friday night timeslot. A whopping 16 of their matches will be played either in the twilight or at night.
Strengths: St Kilda has a midfield at its disposal that rivals Geelong's much-vaunted engine room - a fact highlighted by three of its members being rewarded with All-Australian honours last year. Opposition coaches must give their fingernails a good working over when they see magnets adorning the names Montagna, Hayes, Dal Santo, Jones, Gram, Baker and Ray scattered on the whiteboard prior to an engagement with St Kilda. The amazing defensive pressure displayed last year by the Saints, dubbed the 'Lyon Cage', was simply awesome as well. Their concession of 64 points a week on average during the home-and-away season was the lowest figure recorded in 42 years. But opposition teams have had six months to work out ways to counter it and as Hawthorn discovered last year with its 'Clarkson Cluster', dominant game plans one year can be reduced to anything but the next. So much will depend on the Saints' ability to cope with that acid test in season 2010. Oh, and it also happens to have the most influential forward in the game at its disposal in skipper Nick Riewoldt.
Weaknesses: After only losing two matches out of 24 last year, the Saints lost the one that matters most in heartbreaking fashion to Geelong, thanks largely to a host of missed chances at goal which all fell in the 'very gettable' category - bringing into question their mental strength on the big stage. Their perceived mental fragility was underscored by the revelation that Riewoldt required a psychologist to cope with the shattering defeat over the summer. And until St Kilda finally wins that elusive second flag, those question marks will not go away. One area that was deemed to be a weakness for the Saints last year was a lack of a dashing, outside midfielder. They attempted to remedy this by recruiting Lovett, and we all know how that ended (before it started). More now might be expected of ex-Docker Peake to fulfil that role. And as good as the Saints' defence is, Dawson still appears to be a glaring weak link. He was once again monstered by a huge key forward in the NAB Cup decider and had a forgettable showing in last year's grand final. The back line will also be stung with the absence of the injured Sam Fisher until about Round 6.
X-Factor: Coach Ross Lyon threw caution to the wind in last year's trade/draft period by picking up four recycled players. The Lovett experiment blew up in his face but in Peake, Smith and Pattison, Lyon has a huge chunk of unknown at his disposal. While Lyon has had a good track record with AFL discards in recent seasons, the acquiring of injury-plagued Smith in particular appears to be a huge gamble even by his standards. But if they all produce that final piece in the Saints' premiership puzzle this year, Lyon will be hailed a genius.
Best 22:
B: Blake, Dawson, Gilbert
HB: Gram, S.Fisher, Goddard
C: Montagna, Hayes, Dal Santo
HF: Dempster, Riewoldt, McQualter
F: Milne, Koschitzke, Schneider
R: Gardiner, Jones, Baker
IC: Peake, Armitage, Ray, McEvoy
After Round 22: 1st. Sportal predicts St Kilda will win back-to-back McLelland Trophies this season but that will be little consolation if it doesn't clinch its first flag in 44 years after coming so close to the promised land in 2009.