COACH Ross Lyon might have his eyes fixed on round one, but St Kilda defender Jason Gram has no doubt about his own approach to next week’s NAB Cup grand final – he wants to win it.

Gram, 23, has played in only one regular-season final match, and he believes the host of young Saints will benefit from a taste of silverware ahead of the 2008 season.

"I definitely want to win it. I'd love to have a medal around my neck, whether it be a NAB Cup or premiership season one," Gram told saints.com.au after the side's three-point semi-final win over Essendon on Friday night.

"The coaches just wanted to manage guys and get some game time under them for round one, because there are a lot of guys coming back from injury.

"But now that we're in the grand final, we want to do everything we can to win it.

“I think there are a few guys to come back next week as well. The guys who played tonight played well, and it's going to be hard for these guys to come in.

"A lot of the guys have stepped up. Jonesy (Clinton Jones) and Dave Armitage and Jarryn Geary, he'll probably come back in next week," he said.

"[Jarryd] Allen has done well too. Next week will be like a real final for us, regardless of where we play.

"It's going to be finals footy, so it's going to be a good experience for us."

The Saints at least have ruckman Steven King to look to for finals experience. King is gearing up for his third grand final in five months, after flags with Geelong’s VFL and senior side last year.

"I just said to him, ‘Mate, you're going for three premierships in a row’," Gram said.

"He's a lucky man. If we need any advice, we can go to him, although we do have a few premiership players, so we can get advice from a few of them."

Gram played his second pre-season game against the Bombers, and while he escaped unscathed after a summer plagued by injuries, he has earmarked some areas to improve on before the home-and-away season begins.

"I've had a lot of niggles over the pre-season. I had surgery on my collarbone and my knee, so I missed a lot of footy before Christmas," he said.

"Then I came back and had a few hip problems, so I've just been managed, playing 60 to 70 per cent of game time.

"I wasn't too happy with my game tonight because my kicking was probably the worst I've ever kicked.

"But, that'll come, and I'll be out every day this week having a kick."