FB: James Gwilt, Zac Dawson, Jason Blake
HB: Jason Gram, Sam Fisher, Sam Gilbert
C: Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, Farren Ray
HF: Ryan Gamble, Nick Riewoldt, Sean Dempster
FF: Stephen Milne, Justin Koschitzke, Adam Schneider
FOLL: Michael Gardiner, Brendon Goddard, Leigh Montagna
I/C: Ben McEvoy, Steven Baker, Clint Jones
SUB: Jamie Cripps
Injury list
Michael Gardiner (knee) - TBA
Clinton Jones (concussion) - test
Justin Koschitzke (ankle) - TBA
Dean Polo (finger) - TBA
Most valuable player
They performed well without him for a large chunk of last year but there is still no doubt that Nick Riewoldt is the no. 1 man for the Saints. He is the prime target up forward and the main match-up that concerns coaches coming up against St Kilda. His leadership only adds to his value.
Track specialist
Coach Ross Lyon took every available opportunity to talk up the training performances of rookie Jamie Cripps who took no time adjusting to an AFL workload. Cripps went on to impress in his NAB Cup outings and looks set to play senior football.
Dream Team special
Ryan Gamble struggled to get a look in at Geelong over the past few years but if his form in the NAB Cup is anything to go by, he will be playing some regular senior football in St Kilda's forward line this season. At $157,800 he is priced as cheap as an untried draftee and is cracking value.
Pivotal match See the full Saints fixture here
The Saints don't have to wait long for the pressure to be on, as they take on old foes Geelong in round one. Many are tipping the Cats to slide after several high-performing seasons and the departure of Gary Ablett and coach Mark Thompson. Geelong will be playing with a point to prove and on the Friday night stage, they will be looking to make a statement.
Draftee watch
Cripps was mentioned earlier but he is far from the only draftee to have stood out. West Australian Tom Ledger has shown he has the football nous and hard-at-it approach required of AFL players. He can also find a goal and is not too dissimilar to a St Kilda youngster who burst on the scene 16 years ago named Austinn Jones.
The Saints will have a good year if …
… Their next generation of players starts to produce consistent football. The Saints' core group of Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna, Brendon Goddard, Lenny Hayes and Nick Dal Santo are all getting to their late 20s and in Hayes' case early 30s. With an emerging Collingwood the only team that stood between them and a flag last year, St Kilda needs to find improvement from players such as David Armitage, Tom Lynch, Nick Heyne and Jack Steven.
The big issues
How much longer will the window be open? The Saints have made it to five of the past seven preliminary finals, progressing in the past two years. In the constant cycle of the AFL, and with their best players getting on in age, you have to wonder how long they can stay at the top.
Is too much left to too few in the ruck? Michael Gardiner, Justin Koschitzke and Rhys Stanley did not appear at all in the pre-season because of injury and in Stanley's case a club suspension. Gardiner and Koschitzke will miss at least the first month of the season and all the Saints ruck eggs are in Ben McEvoy's basket.
Can the bubble withstand off-field pressure? The Saints have had one drama after another in the pre-season. It hasn't had a tangible effect yet but every new controversy is just a little more draining for everyone involved.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
