AFTER overcoming two injury-wrecked seasons, St Kilda utility Sam Gilbert has put free agency on the backburner to sign a two-year contract extension.

The Saints will announce the 29-year-old's new deal at a press conference on Thursday morning, as they prepare for their final game of the season.

It will be Gilbert's 11^th game for 2015, which is the most in one year he's managed since 2012 because of issues with his knee in 2013, and then his left foot last year. 

• Who's on the move? Check out the status of 2015's free agents

But he's finally overcome the persistent foot injury, which started as a pre-season fracture in 2014.

This season, Gilbert has overcome a slow start where the foot refused to fully heal, plus interruptions caused by an adductor issue, to get back to some decent form.

He's been used in a variety of roles including in defence, attack and through the midfield after shaking off some cobwebs when he returned in round 11.

He'll now be a Saint until at least the end of 2017 after signing this new deal despite the lure of becoming a restricted free agent.

"I’m relishing playing the roles the coaching staff gives me and after a bit of time on the sidelines, I’m enjoying my football as much as I ever have," Gilbert told the club's website.

"I’m looking forward to continuing to be involved for at least the next two years and seeing what this team can achieve.

"Obviously there has been a lot of improvement right across the board at the club in 2015 and I am very excited about what is ahead of us."

Gilbert's signature means Sam Fisher is St Kilda's last remaining unsigned free agent this year, but it isn't expected the veteran backman will be anywhere else in 2016 if he does play on.

It is believed Fisher, who is unrestricted and has also enjoyed better fortunes this year after injury problems derailed his 2013-14, wants a new contract.

The only other free agent, Adam Schneider, has already announced his retirement and played his final game against the Sydney Swans last Sunday.  

Sean Dempster and Jack Steven have both signed on this year; the former for one season and the latter a five-year contract back in March.

Midfielder David Armitage – who is favoured to win his first club best and fairest this month – also recently extended his contract that was due to end next year for a further three seasons.

Meanwhile, Saints development coach Peta Searle has signed a two-year contract extension.

The first woman recruited into AFL coaching, Searle penned the new deal in recent weeks and, funded by the Saints, is now due to join other coaches on a post-season study trip to the US. 

"Peta's shown us in a short period of time that she has fit into the program well," St Kilda football manager Jamie Cox told The Age. 

"She's developing her own areas of accountability and we'd like to extend that and explore that further."

Searle said her time at the Saints had been a whirlwind and she was excited about what the club stood for and its ability to "empower different people, not just women".