2011 snapshot
Ladder position: 7th
Leading goalkicker: Stephen Milne (56)
Leading possession winner: Nick Dal Santo (615)
Played every game: Nick Dal Santo, Brendon Goddard, Sam Fisher, Clinton Jones, Sam Gilbert, Sean Dempster, Stephen Milne
Debutants: Will Johnson (1 game), Daniel Archer  (1), Tom Simpkin (2), Tom Ledger (2), Nicholas Winmar (2), Alistair Smith (3), Jamie Cripps (4), Arryn Siposs (5).

Stats leaders
Toyota AFL Dream Team: Nick Dal Santo (2279)
Kicks: Nick Dal Santo (338)
Handballs: Nick Dal Santo (277)
Marks: Nick Riewoldt (154)
Hit outs: Ben McEvoy (497)
Clearances: Nick Dal Santo (118)
Contested possessions: Nick Dal Santo (257)
Uncontested possessions: Brendon Goddard (352)

NAB AFL Rising Star nominees
Jack Steven (round 10)

List manager
A tall forward might be on the cards now that Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke are into their late 20s. Koschitzke had been used more as a back-up ruckman this season and Riewoldt could use some more support when teams double and triple team him.

Games that shaped a season
Rd 2: St Kilda 13.17 (95) drew with Richmond 14.11 (95)
This one shaped the season in more ways than one. Not only did the previous season's grand finalists tie with a team ranked well below them but the Saints also lost star midfielder Lenny Hayes to a season-ending knee injury.
Hayes' absence was immediately felt as Richmond's low-profile midfield ran all over the Saints and even though Tiger star Jack Riewoldt was taken off early with concussion, his team almost snatched an unlikely win. While the result was equal, it was clear which team lost more from it.

Rd 3: Essendon 21.10 (136) d St Kilda 12.12 (84)
Starting to get desperate for a win, the Saints took on an Essendon team that had the edge on them in recent years. The Bombers continued their impressive start under coach James Hird with a thumping 52-point win while a candid Ross Lyon admitted post-match that the Saints were not the same team that had starred for the previous three years. Nick Riewoldt had a frustrating night in his 200th AFL game despite kicking three goals and question marks began to hover over the Saints.

Round 8: Hawthorn 14.15 (99) d St Kilda 10.9 (69)
The Saints finally looked set to shake off their bad run of luck with an impressive five goal to none first quarter against the highly-fancied Hawks. The Hawks were decimated with early injuries to Stephen Gilham and David Hale but still managed to fight back thanks largely to an unlikely starring role from temporary ruckman Jarryd Roughead. The come-from-behind Hawthorn victory meant the Saints had just one win to show for the first eight weeks of the season and plenty were writing off their finals chances.

Round 10: St Kilda 15.12 (102) d Fremantle 7.14 (56)
Despite beating Melbourne the previous week, the knives were still out for the Saints, who were faced with a daunting trip to Perth to take on top eight team Fremantle. But something clicked for the Saints and they slammed on four goals in the opening quarter. Unlike the loss to Hawthorn two weeks earlier, they held on to the lead and blew Fremantle away, keeping them to just one goal to half-time. Jack Steven played the best game of his career and became the club's first NAB AFL Rising Star nominee in almost three years. The day was not without its dramas, as Brendon Goddard and Sean Dempster were both stretchered off with head injuries.

Round 17: St Kilda 13.4 (82) d West Coast 9.7 (61)
The Saints had well and truly got back to their winning ways but were yet to claim one of the big scalps of the League. Any doubts about St Kilda's ability against finals-bound teams was wiped when they kicked six goals to one behind in the first quarter. Leigh Montagna and Sam Fisher starred and the Saints held their nerve even though the Eagles reclaimed the lead briefly in the third quarter. The only lowlight for St Kilda was a season-ending knee injury to defender James Gwilt, but otherwise it was a bright night in what turned out to be West Coast's only loss in the final 14 weeks of the season.

What went right
The impressive consistency of small forward Stephen Milne, who silenced a few critics with his efforts, not to mention Nick Dal Santo who led the way through the midfield. Sam Fisher impressed in defence, while Ben McEvoy consolidated himself as the no. 1 ruckman. Often criticised for not giving chances to young players, the Saints blooded eight players this season and also brought in Ryan Gamble and Dean Polo from other AFL clubs. The improvement of Jack Steven, Brett Peake, Sean Dempster and David Armitage was also a highlight.

Most valuable player
Nick Dal Santo's value to the Saints soared after Hayes' season ended in round two. Questions were immediately asked about who would provide the grunt and leadership in the midfield but the answer became evident as the season wore on. For much of his career, Dal Santo had not been regarded as an in and under player for the Saints but he played the role beautifully in 2011, finishing in the top 20 of the AFL for contested possessions.

Coach's pet
Sean Dempster had been considered to be one of St Kilda's under-performing bottom six players before this season but his competitiveness and stopping ability went to a new level this year. Dempster was often given big jobs on big names and showed himself more than capable of doing the job. He also won plenty of his own ball and his drive out of defence was a valuable asset. He will poll plenty of best and fairest votes particularly towards the end of the season.

Next big thing
Jack Steven had to wait his turn as the Saints won most of their games over the past few seasons but he stepped up to be a valuable part of the team in 2011. He became the club's first Rising Star nominee in three seasons and showed with his pace and goal sense that he has plenty to offer. By the end of the year he was an established part of the midfield where he looks like entrenching himself for the next decade.

Needs a big pre-season
The Saints rotated a few young players through the team with most understandably undersized and inevitably succumbing to injury. West Australian recruits Tom Ledger and Jamie Cripps were impressive in their handful of games but both suffered injuries as they adjust to AFL demands. A big summer in the gym should add bulk to their frames and we can expect to see more of both of them next season.

Trading places
It's hard to see the Saints being big players at trade week this year. There will probably be more retirements and definitely a few delistings, but they probably won't deal any players away. They may test the market with some draft picks but are likely to hold on to their first round.

What they said
"I think there's a natural attrition, most clubs churn 'x' amount per year - certainly it sort of feels like an end of an era to be honest."- coach Ross Lyon

In a nutshell
Looked like they had gone off the rails early on but fought back hard to get their season back on track. It was a remarkable achievement to earn a home final in such a tumultuous year.   

Overall grade: C+

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs