St Kilda have confirmed heralded football administrator Geoff Walsh as their new football boss as the Saints continue to transform their hierarchy.
Walsh brings with him over 35 years of experience in the V/AFL, having held roles with North Melbourne and Collingwood over a successful career in the competition as a key-figure of each club's football department.
During his time in the league, Walsh has been part of four premierships and 25 finals series.
The role as executive general manager of football at St Kilda will see Walsh overlook the club's men's football program as the Saints look to steer themselves back toward premiership contention.
In a statement released by St Kilda on Wednesday morning, Walsh expressed his excitement in joining the club ahead of an historic year for the red, white and black.
โI'm excited to be joining the St Kilda Football Club in what will be its 150thย year,โ Walsh said.
โSt Kilda is full of passionate and loyal football people who just want to see the club get better and I am very much embracing this challenge.
โI respect the club's decision to embark on a comprehensive review and I will work closely with Andrew Bassat and Simon Lethlean to ensure that we successfully implement the necessary changes.
โThere is plenty ofย talent andย potential within the list and I look forward to working closely with the whole football program as we look to further unlock this.โ
Walsh joins the Saints after aiding reviews at both Carlton and North Melbourne in recent years, and has already begun critiquing his new club.
Speaking onย SENย on Wednesday morning, Walsh stated St Kilda have been battled through a period of "irrelevance", with the incoming administrator wanting to see the Victorian club regain respect from the competition.
"This might sound abrasive and the Saints fans might get upset, but one of the things that I think when asked about how I see St Kilda, I think the competition would say there's been a degree of irrelevance," Walsh told SEN radio.
"That should be abrasive, that should sort of choke down peoples' throats, and I hope moving forward that I can contribute to a profile that gives the Saints the due respect that they crave."
St Kilda managed another finals-less campaign in 2022, managing an 11-win season to finish 10th on the ladder.
Walsh has flagged a need to target "top-end talent" in the coming years, starting with this off-season.
"One of the things the Saints need to do over this trade and draft period and the next, and even the next, is an injection of top-end talent," he added.
"They've got a lot of good players. I think that they would really do well and benefit from the injection of some top-end talent.
"That's one of the things that I think will help them up the road."
Walsh succeeds newly-appointed St Kild CEO Simon Lethlean as he steps into the football boss role from this off-season.
Walsh will officially begin his Moorabbin tenure on November 1, however will take the coming weeks to become more familiar with the club.
