Dan Butler

Trifecta of Saints commit to future

“(They play) essential roles in our forward mix and we’re glad to have them all locked in for the next few years,”

Published by
Aidan Cellini

St Kilda has announced the re-signings of forward trio Cooper Sharman, Dan Butler and Lance Collard, with all penning at least two-year extensions.

Sharman and Butler played pivotal roles in the back half of the 2024 season as the Saints salvaged a disappointing campaign to win five of their last six outings.

As for Collard - who signed a three-year deal - he debuted in Round 1 this year but only managed to add two more games to his profile, especially after being slapped with a six-game suspension due to a homophobic slur in a VFL game.

Saints EGM of Football David Misson was stoked to have all three commit to the club's future.

“Dan, Cooper and Lance all play unique, but essential roles in our forward mix and we're glad to have them all locked in for the next few years,” Misson said.

Brad Hill and Dan Butler during the AFL match between Hawthorn and St Kilda in Round 4, 2022 (Photo by Cameron Grimes / Zero Digital Media)

“Dan's pressure is elite, with his tenacity and willingness to leave it all out on the field evident every time he takes the ground.

“Cooper has taken his footy to another level in recent weeks. His accuracy in front of goal, overhead marking and ability to read the play so well make him a very reliable option for us right across the ground.

“Lance is still adapting to life at the AFL level, but we see big things in his future. We're confident that with another pre-season under his belt and the continued guidance of his coaches and teammates, Lance has the potential to be a really great player for this football club.”

The trio join Mason Wood in recently committing to the club's future.

St Kilda has already farewelled Seb Ross, Tom Campbell, Riley Bonner, Matthew Allison and James Van Es from Moorabbin while Josh Battle has agreed to join Hawthorn through free agency.

Angus McLennan, Ben Paton, Dougal Howard, Isaac Keeler, Jack Hayes, Jimmy Webster, Liam Stock, Max Heath, Olli Hotton, Ryan Byrnes, Tim Membrey and Zak Jones are all without deals for next year as list management decisions come to a head.

Published by
Aidan Cellini