St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has laid out an ambitious vision to transform the Saints into a premier AFL destination club, using innovative strategies both on and off the field.
Speaking at the unveiling of the club's new crest, Lyon emphasised a renewed focus on free agency and the critical role sponsors can play in elevating St Kilda's appeal.
Lyon pointed to Geelong's partnership with Cotton On as an example of how sponsors can provide meaningful opportunities for players, both professionally and personally.
The Cats have successfully leveraged such relationships to recruit stars, with Lyon aiming to replicate this approach at Moorabbin.
“Everything we are doing on and off the field, with the support of our major sponsors and private backers, is designed to create opportunities like Cotton On does for Geelong,” Lyon said.
“They help players, their partners, and families off the field. I can guarantee you we'll become more of a destination club.”
This shift in strategy comes as St Kilda wraps up a four-year drafting plan, armed with two top-10 picks in this year's AFL Draft (picks 7 and 8).
Lyon confirmed the Saints intend to target free agents aggressively as they look to reshape their list and compete for their second premiership.
St Kilda's off-season saw the departures of experienced players like Josh Battle, Tim Membrey and Seb Ross. Brad Crouch was delisted to free up salary cap space, although the club has committed to re-signing him via the rookie draft.
“These losses have enabled us to free up the salary cap,” Lyon said.
“It's been tough, but we've made some hard decisions. Now, we'll really go hard at free agents as we move forward.”
The Saints' uphill battle isn't limited to roster changes. The club is entering the 2025 season with one of the league's most challenging fixtures, facing six finalists from 2024 in the first nine rounds, including Geelong, Brisbane, and GWS.
The unfavourable draw has sparked controversy, with some accusing the AFL of bias following Saints president Andrew Bassat's vocal criticism of the league's draft system.
While the Saints have faced criticism for lacking marquee acquisitions - Brad Crouch being their most notable free agent signing in recent years - Lyon is confident that St Kilda's revamped approach will attract top-tier talent in the near future.
“We've laid the groundwork,” Lyon said.
“Our focus on drafting, supported by sponsorship and analytics, is setting us up to be a contender. The Saints are coming.”