ALAN Richardson will make decisions on the future of several St Kilda veterans in the next month with a focus on maintaining a balance between experience and the next generation.
The Saints have seven players over the age of 30 – Lenny Hayes, Sam Fisher, Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna, Sean Dempster, Clint Jones and Adam Schneider – while Beau Maister and Farren Ray are 28.
In what is a deep rebuilding phase for St Kilda, Richardson says he will talk to his senior players "within a month or so" about 2015, keeping in mind the value of having seasoned talented on the list.
"To make a really informed decision for the club and for the players involved, they need as much information and we need as much information and we'll sit down then and have a chat about where they're at and the direction we're taking," Richardson told 7mate's Talking Footy on Monday night.
"The reality is, we're going to be a young group – we already are a very inexperienced group – and those guys play a significant role.
"You see what clubs like GWS do, the impact Gary Ablett has on the Suns, the Giants go and get [Shane] Mumford and [Heath] Shaw and [Josh] Hunt to bolster.
"We're not going to throw out our experience just to give games to young blokes.
"They need to earn it and our experienced players will play a real role there."
Hayes is the oldest of the Saints' players at 34 and is out of contract at the season's end, as are Fisher, Jones, Schneider and Maister.
While it is thought to be the 2010 Norm Smith medallist's last season, he is yet to formally declare his intentions for next year.
His recent form has pleased his coach, as has his influence over youngsters such as Luke Dunstan and Seb Ross.
"He's playing really good footy," Richardson said.
"Lenny plays a really significant role with those young guys … and his own impact on the game has also been strong."
Speculation has recently swirled regarding the level of financial debt the Saints are facing this season following their 2013 operating loss of $1,198,587 and statutory loss of $2,614,837.
Richardson said suggestion of an enormous deficit was off the mark and the Saints' football department didn't notice financial hardship.
"[CEO] Matt [Finnis] and I catch up semi-regularly and he was reasonably quick to come and tell me that it's certainly not as bleak as it's been portrayed out in the media," he said.
"What I will say is in terms of where we're at and what we need, and I've been lucky enough to be at some really elite facilities like Carlton and Collingwood, we want for nothing in terms of what's required to make our playing group as good as they can be, to be great athletes, to be able to prepare for long careers.
"It's an outstanding facility we have at Linen House in Seaford and we have a really good strong group of coaches.
"Yes, we would like a couple more and Peta [Searle's] appointment today is a really positive one.
"But it really doesn't affect us."
Richardson said Searle had made a strong impression when she recently presented for her new role as development coach at the club.
"To say that she was impressive would be an understatement," he said.
"She's a very enthusiastic person. I probably underestimated the attention – the media at the club today was significant and I think that continues tomorrow.
"Her coaching experience is fairly extensive and she's a pretty impressive person.
"It's going to be really exciting."
