ST KILDA said goodbye to several players during the off-season, including new-found midfield leader Tilly Lucas-Rodd and former captain Cat Phillips. It does, however, welcome back key midfield duo Tyanna Smith and Georgia Patrikios, while also adding Grace Kelly, Nicola Stevens, and Erin McKinnon.
B: B.Jakobsson R.Ott
HB: H.Priest. C.Fitzpatrick T.White
C: M.McDonald R.Dillon. E.Friend
HF: G.Kelly. K.Shierlaw N.Stevens
F: G.Greiser N.Xenos
Foll: E.McKinnon T.Smith G.Patrikios
I/C: J.Anderson. D.Guttridge O.Vesely J.Van Dyk N.Exon
Emerg: A.Richards H.Stuart
After an action-packed trade and draft period, and ahead of AFLW season seven, womens.afl reporters Gemma Bastiani and Sarah Black have taken on the task of putting together each club's best 21 on paper. This isn't each side's likely R1 side, but rather a look at what each team's ideal line-up could be.
Changes from last season
The Saints' attacking half looks more potent with the addition of Nicola Stevens, Grace Kelly and J'Noemi Anderson, allowing some more flexibility with how players like Kate Shierlaw and Darcy Guttridge might be used. The forward pressure offered by Anderson and Stevens in particular will also complement the standard set by Nicola Xenos last season.
Despite saying goodbye to Tilly Lucas-Rodd, the club's clearance leader and second place in their best and fairest, regaining Tyanna Smith and Georgia Patrikios makes the midfield group look far more balanced between ball winning and movement to the outside of the contest.
Clara Fitzpatrick's return to AFLW is also a huge in for the Saints. Her rare combination of speed, strength and height will allow Bianca Jakobsson to lean further into her intercept defending role which saw her win the club's best and fairest.
In the mix
Ashleigh Richards is just missing out, with Ella Friend preferred thanks to her ability to transition between midfield and forward lines, and both Alice and Lucy Burke are victims of the club's new-found depth through the middle and backline, while VFLW captain Deanna Jolliffe and father/daughter selection Caitlin Matthews offer further depth through defence.
VFLW recruit Hannah Stuart also looks likely to have an impact thanks to her ability to win the ball and work rate from contest to contest, but is currently behind Rosie Dillon and Olivia Vesely.
Jess Matin and Renee Saulitis miss out, again thanks to some new forward recruits, and inactive replacement Simone Nalder doesn't quite make it in purely due to McKinnon's ability to take control as a solo ruck and the support that Shierlaw and Greiser can offer in that area.
