St. Kilda officially announced on Wednesday afternoon that they have secured the signatures of Jack Lonie, Jake Carlisle and Category B Rookie Sam Alabakis.
The trio all inked one-season contract extensions that will see them remain at Moorabbin until the end of the 2021 season.
Both Carlisle and Lonie notched 13 appearances in 2020 for the resurgent red, white and black outfit, whilst Alabakis - a raw 211 centimetre prospect - is still yet to debut for the Saints.
Following the collective's retention, St. Kilda's head of list management James Gallagher publicly expressed his joy at the announcement.
โIt's been a really challenging year in managing list sizes, and we've been forced to make some difficult decisions, but it's great to be able to share some positive news,โ Gallagher told the club website.
โJack's value is not just in what he brings on-field, but how he boosts his teammates off it. His forward pressure and willingness to put his body on the line is evident, but what people don't see is the leadership and maturity he brings in meetings and at training.
"Up the other end of the ground, Jake brings strength and a big body to combat some of the game's bigger forwards, and we saw how important that ended up being in our return to finals.
โWith Jake recently becoming a father of three, we were happy to be patient as he weighed up his future and decided what was best for his family.
โWe also see a lot of upside and raw potential with Sam. โBig Sal' has a great work ethic and is a much-loved character among the playing group.โ
With the Saints breaking a nine-year finals drought in 2020, both Lonie and Carlisle will be keen to add to their respective 76 and 62 game tallies with the club next year.
The pair found themselves outside of coach Brett Ratten's best 22 at times this season and with additional talent added during the trade period, they will be made to earn any future appearances at the senior level.
