Hayes fronted the media alongside Collingwood’s Shane O’Bree at AFL House on Thursday ahead of the two teams’ NAB Cup clash at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
The assembled media came ready to quiz the injured Saint on the players’ views on the hot topic of the week that saw St Kilda show Lovett the door.
But instead of getting to ask “what did the players think of it all?” and “did they really want to play alongside the former Bomber?” journalists were told by a three-pronged team of St Kilda officials that the Lovett saga was a no-go zone.
Instead, the media had to be content with asking Hayes, who will miss Friday night’s clash as he continues to recover from a calf injury, if the off-season’s distractions had been off-putting.
“The thing about football is we’ve got a game this week and that’s what the guys have been concentrating on,” Hayes said.
“All pre-season you’re getting ready for that first game.
“We’ve had some really good training sessions this week and everyone’s just keen to get out there and play that Saints footy that we showed last year, the sort of footy that held us in pretty good stead last year.”
Another of the Saints’ post-season issues will be staring them in the face on Friday night.
Luke Ball, the one-time St Kilda captain, became one of the most-talked about recruits in years when he joined the Pies late last year in the NAB AFL Draft.
On Friday night he will play his first game in the black and white - against his old club.
The move created plenty of feeling at the time and while St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt seemingly stirred the pot again earlier in the summer with some pointed comments, Hayes doesn’t think there will be any lingering bad blood.
“He (Ball) hasn’t really been spoken about at all this week, so I think you’ll just have to tune in tomorrow night and see if there is [any rough treatment],” Hayes said.
“But speaking from a players’ point of view we haven’t even spoken about him this week.
“There’s been a bit of talk over the summer but … he’s a Collingwood player now and we don’t treat him any differently to any other Collingwood player or any other opposition player.”
Hayes says his own injury is progressing well. He has been in full training for three weeks and expects to play next week.
Lenny Hayes is a $478,500 midfielder in this year’s Toyota AFL Dream Team.
