Ross Lyon was as fiery as ever in the media room after St Kilda’s heavy 72-point defeat to the Western Bulldogs. He skillfully deflected criticism, seizing on a question about poor attendance to shift focus and spar with a journalist — a classic distraction technique.
But Lyon’s press conference tactics can’t mask the uncomfortable truth: St Kilda has regressed in both seasons under his watch.
Despite this, the club extended Lyon’s contract earlier this year through to the end of 2026. But his recent coaching track record raises concerns. Since Fremantle’s 2015 preliminary final appearance, Lyon’s teams have compiled a 58–88 win-loss record in home and away games, with just one finals appearance — a 2023 elimination final loss to GWS — and only one winning season.
St Kilda doesn’t have the commercial or cultural pull of some bigger Victorian clubs, and its unattractive style of play under Lyon isn’t helping either. The Saints continue to struggle offensively, ranking in the bottom five for both inside 50s and shots on goal. No matter how you slice the data, if you can’t score, fans won’t watch.
In their latest game, the Saints fielded 10 players aged 29 or older — more than any other side except Collingwood. However, their overall list profile skews young, with an average age of 25.3 and the sixth-youngest playing group by games experience.
Given the underperformance of veteran players, Lyon has little to lose by giving more opportunities to the club’s younger core. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, 22, leads a promising group of under-25 players, including 2023 top picks Tobie Travaglia and Alix Tauru. Alongside Mattaes Phillipou and Liam Henry, the quartet has played just 13 games in 2025 — a number that needs to rise if the club wants to build sustainably.
King’s Absence Exacerbates Scoring Woes
Star forward Max King’s ongoing knee troubles haven’t helped St Kilda’s forward structure. With King missing, the forward line lacks a clear focal point, putting extra pressure on players like Cooper Sharman and Mitch Owens, while Jack Higgins is left scrambling for impact.
Currently 14th on the ladder, the Saints find themselves in AFL’s dreaded “middle zone”: not good enough to contend, not bad enough to rebuild through the top end of the draft.
With Tasmania’s AFL team entering in 2028 and their access to a large pool of priority picks from 2027, timing a rebuild is critical. The upcoming drafts are already compromised by academy and father-son prospects, further shrinking the talent pool.
Richmond’s Youth Blueprint Offers a Roadmap
Richmond’s successful rebuild prior to the entry of the Gold Coast and GWS offers a template. In the years leading to the 2010 draft, the Tigers built a future dynasty by drafting stars like Riewoldt, Cotchin, Rance, and Martin. Though it took time, their patience paid off with three flags between 2017 and 2020.
Richmond is once again leaning into youth, drafting six players in the top 24 picks last year and securing another two top-10 selections for 2025. Clubs like St Kilda — and even Melbourne — would do well to follow suit.
Time for Melbourne to Rethink
Melbourne, sitting 15th with one of the AFL’s most experienced lists, has held onto its 2021 premiership core for too long. Trading away their 2025 first-rounder now looks like a misstep.
Despite repeated denials, the Demons should seriously consider putting stars like Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver on the trade table. With Max Gawn still performing at a high level at 34 and Kysaiah Pickett already locked in long-term, the future should be built around the electric forward.
These decisions won’t be popular or easy, and results won’t come overnight. But as Richmond proved, the pain is worth it — if it leads to premiership success.
For the Saints, two seasons of poor results under Lyon and a stagnant game plan may signal it’s time to go all-in on youth. If a couple of bottom-four finishes bring long-awaited silverware, most St Kilda fans would take that deal without hesitation.
