Whether it be a tactical integration taking shape over a number of years, a last-ditch effort to revive a player's career, or a short-term fix that turns into something more, AFL clubs are no strangers to the growing practice of a positional shake-up.
With the likes of Isaac Heeney, Rory Lobb, Nick Blakey, Kyle Langford and Ben Keays all transitioning successfully into new roles over recent years, we thought we'd delve into the biggest positional switches heading into the 2025 season.
8. Mattaes Phillipou
Forward to Midfielder
It is no secret that St Kilda have long been looking for a midfielder with a point of difference.
The club's recent efforts at luring the likes of Jordan De Goey, Zach Merrett and Luke Davies-Uniacke are indicative of this desire and is an ambition stemming from a long-held belief that the Saints midfield is 'bland'.
Despite players like Brad Crouch, Jack Steele, Marcus Windhager and Zak Jones all performing consistently over the years accumulation-wise, the on-ball brigade has shown very little hurt factor to worry its opposition.
This is best evidenced by the four centre square attendees combining for an uninspiring 10 goals across the entirety of the 2024 season. This output is singlehandedly tripled by opposing midfielders such as Chad Warner (35), Isaac Heeney (34) and Marcus Bontempelli (32), and was no doubt doubled by many others.
The Saints are seemingly on the right path, however, as they are set to inject 20-year-old young gun Mattaes Phillipou into the middle on a more permanent basis in 2025.
Phillipou's size and forward craft set him apart from other Saints midfielders and he had been likened to Nat Fyfe, Patrick Dangerfield and Marcus Bontempelli in his junior days as a thriving midfield asset.
When playing the inside midfield role during his draft year, the 190cm prospect averaged an impressive 28 disposals, 6.6 marks, 5.1 tackles, 4.3 clearances and 1.5 goals per game.
If Phillipou's 2025 campaign can even remotely resemble that of his draft year, then St Kilda will be a far more dangerous proposition in both the immediate and long-term future.
