St Kilda are continuing to assess this year's talent pool out of the Sandringham Zebras after the Saints committed to drafting one player from their VFL pathways to a rookie list spot, with an avenue that sees them use the list initiative to recruit an Academy-tied teenager potentially taken.
The list decision was made by the club last year, with 2024 presenting as the first season where one member of the Zebras' squad would end the year on the Saints' list.
The enterprising decision couldn't quite spark positive results on-field, with Sandringham managing eight wins from their 18 games while being the only VFL club among 21 not to have a player feature in the Team of the Year squad.
That's not to say there were no promising Zebras who put their name forward for a potential promotion at Moorabbin, while teenagers eligible for this year's AFL Draft are right in the mix also.
St Kilda Next Generation Academy prospect Adrian Cole might be the front-runner for the Saints' rookie list spot vacancy, having managed a pair of appearances for the Zebras against Richmond and Essendon this year.
The 195cm Vic Metro defender is likely to land on the Saints' list one way or another, with the club potentially seeing Cole as a loophole for their open Sandringham spot.
Fellow NGA prospect Lennox Hofmann also played against the Tigers' reserves in August and could be considered for the spot, while father-son prospect Elwood Peckett - 250-gamer Justin - also a member of the club's NGA.
"We'll keep working through that," Saints football boss David Misson said of the club's process to appoint a Zebras player to a list spot this off-season.
"We spent a lot of time looking at the Sandy players, obviously. We used some of our NGA kids to play for Sandringham as well.
"So we'll keep moving forward with that process."
The top three of Sandringham's best and fairest count went to St Kilda-listed players as departed ruckman Tom Campbell took out the Neil Bencraft award ahead of fellow ruckman Max Heath and young defender Angus McLennan.
Sandringham Dragons graduates Tom Blamires and Oliver Lowe finished equal fourth alongside Saints rookie Hugo Garcia, with Lowe tied for most goals at the Zebras this year while also taking out the club's player-voted Zeal Award - handed to a player who best portrays the club's ethos.
Lowe is an emerging talent in the Zebras' system, with the 22-year-old showing glimpses as a medium-sized forward. The East Malvern product could find room in the Saints' squad, given the uncertainty that surrounds veteran Tim Membrey.
Blamires, who is close friends with Lowe following their time together with the Dragons, is another forward option for the Saints to consider, with the young Zebra showing his versatility in holding roles further up the field in 2024.
The 22-year-old shared Sandringham's Ray Patmore Trophy as the club's best first-year player in 2023.
Zebras co-captain Darby Hipwell is sure to be considered for the vacant St Kilda list spot after another strong year, averaging 18.9 disposals - the most of any non-AFL listed Sandringham player - to go with 4.7 tackles and 3.9 clearances per game in 2024.
Hipwell took out the club's best and fairest last year and was also a recipient of the Ray Patmore Trophy the year prior, with the dynamic midfielder finishing seventh in the 2024 club's count.
Defender Max Benier garnered reported interest ahead of this year's AFL Mid-Season Draft but only represented the Zebras on three occasions this year, failing to feature in the required amount of state league level matches prior to the May intake.
Former Sydney Swans forward Hugo Hall-Kahan could be considered for a lifeline, while fellow youngsters Tarkyn O'Leary and Will Brown might also be on the Saints' radar after narrowly missing out on draft selections last year.
