Throughout the week, the Saints football department has descended on Etihad Stadium for the 2011 NAB AFL Draft Combine.

In total, ten members of the football department, including the club’s recruitment team, are attending what is considered by all clubs as the ultimate test for young footballers aspiring to be picked in November’s AFL Draft.

Ameet Bains, St Kilda FC General Manager of Player List & Legal Affairs, along with his recruitment team of Tony Elshaug, John Beveridge, Paul Collins and Chris Liberatore have all attended every minute of every session this week.

In addition, Steven King (Assistant Coach), Adam Kingsley (Assistant Coach) and Paul Hudson (Development Coach) attended specific sessions each day, whilst Michael Nettlefold (Chief Executive), Chris Pelchen (Head of Football) and Greg Hutchinson (General Manager - Football) all attended various sessions of the AFL Combine around interviews for the Senior Coach position at St Kilda FC.

Formerly called the Draft Camp, the ‘Combine’ refers to the AFL clubs combining their resources to test talent, as well as a search for players who can combine their skills and mental toughness with the athleticism to make the AFL.

Under the direction of the Australian Institute of Sport, and with athletic testing predominantly conducted on a hardwood sports performance floor, 120 outstanding prospects from across the country are participating in the four-day event.

The ‘Combine’ is a unique opportunity for clubs to see all players together in the one location and to analyse how they perform against each other, both physically and mentally.

Whilst the AFL Draft Combine forms an important part of St Kilda Football Club’s recruitment process, the club has ongoing systems in place to extensively monitor the performances of prospective talent and also conducts regular interviews with these players in their home environment.

The AFL Draft Combine has been part of the talent identification process since 1994, but has assumed an even greater profile with its location switch to St Kilda FC’s home ground venue, Etihad Stadium.

The 2011 AFL Draft will be held on 24 November at Sydney’s Olympic Park.