ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon says the 2008 AFL Premiership raceis wide open, with all 16 clubs entering this season with a realistic chance ofachieving the ultimate prize.

Speakingat Moorabbin on Wednesday before his side took part in a skills session, Lyonsaid despite Geelong’s dominance of 2007, the upcoming season promised to beamong the most competitive in history.

“There’sno cellar-dwellers really anymore,” Lyon said.

“Ithink there wouldn’t be a team in the competition that’s not looking to make theeight, which I don’t think you could have said the last few years.

“Ithink it’s going to be a great year of football.”

TheSaints narrowly missed the finals last season and, like seven other clubs in2008, will be doing their utmost to remedy that this year.

ButLyon doesn’t believe that will be as easy as some might think.

“ClearlyRichmond have already signalled their intent with their aspirations, andCarlton with [Chris] Judd and Stevens back [from injury], Essendon are lookingto play finals, [too].

“Idon’t think there’s anyone thinking, ‘Geez we’re easy-beats’ … so it’s going tobe a fantastic year of footy and the possibility for everyone at this stage ofthe year is a premiership and [playing] finals.

“Wewant to make sure we’re doing the hard work to give ourselves the best possiblechance to compete against those teams.”

StKilda endured a horror run of injuries early in 2007 but things are looking upin the new year.

Closeto 40 players were training at Moorabbin on Wednesday, while Matt McGuire(foot) jogged laps and appears to be recovering from stress fractures in hisfoot.

Aftercompleting what was a turbulent first year off the field at the club, Lyonbelieves things are settling down at the Saints – and there is a positive vibearound the place.

“Iwalked into a club in interesting circumstances but we’ve worked through allthat,” he said.

“It’sa united club, we’ve got some wonderful sponsorships on board … and we’ve got areal stability and the players have formed a real relationship with myself andthe coaching panel, which takes time.

“Somethings do take time. So we are settled and it does feel energetic and vibrant.”