The transition phase is basically complete.

[Oh When the Saints]

Between September 2005 and September 2007, the St Kilda playing group has undergone a significant transition.

This transition has involved the departure of 14 players.

Now, most clubs in the AFL have probably had a similar number of players leave in that period of time.

Let's examine who 10 of those players are:

A. Thompson, S. Powell, J. Peckett, L. Penny, A. Jones, F. Gehrig, B. Voss, T. Schwarze, C. Ackland and B. Guerra.

Those 10 players were regular members of our 22 in 2005, with the exception of Schwarze.


Now ... all those players have retired.


Fair enough ... a few were GOP's whose spot can be filled easily.

However, 7 of those players were not only regulars ... they were in our top 15-20 at the time.

I would argue that Thommo, Powelly, Frankie, Penny, Aussie, G and V2 were in the best 20 players in the club.


Between 2005 and the end of 2007, we have lost a third of the best part of our list.

A third.


That is a significant transition in anyone's book .... you can lose players, but to lose your top line footballers is something that is difficult to deal with in terms of managing the list.


The past two seasons, 2006 and 2007, have been transition years for the club.

With the exception of Max Hudghton, we now have no player on the list who is over the age of 30.

Ask yourselves this question - who are our senior players now?

Max Hudghton, Lenny Hayes, Stephen Baker and Stephen Milne.

Bakes, Lenny and Milne are our SENIOR players now.


Things have changed a lot in a short period of time, and it is extremely difficult to adjust to such a massive change in the structure of the 22 and keep performance at a high level.

It is for this reason that I believed we have and were always going to struggle in 2007, whether it was Grant Thomas, Ross Lyon or Jock McHale coaching us.

Put simply, we have now got rid of a large group of high standard senior players.


Our senior players are Lenny, Bakes and Milney.


The structure of our list has altered dramatically.


We still have a very, very good list, one that will be capable of winning a premiership after the draft period.

But it is a very, very DIFFERENT list.


2008 begins a new phase in this footy club ...

[Saints Premiers 2008]

agreed entirely owts

the positive and exciting thing in my opinion is that our core remains...its a core that is capable of sustained success until they all decided to retire at the tender age of 40 with 5 premierships

[Bernard Shakey]

Senior players.

Robert Harvey?