"ST KILDA," was the emphatic response from AFL immortal Leigh Matthews when quizzed on the 2012 potential of the Saints and Fremantle.

As the season rushed to a close, Matthews somewhat surprised his Channel Seven panellists by taking an alternate view to the almost-universal perception the Saints were in an irreparable state of decay.

In typical 'Lethal' style, he swatted down the challengers, snuffed out the debate, and turned the topic into a no-brainer.

Matthews said Lenny Hayes - the team's spiritual leader who missed 2011 with a knee injury - would be back, and Nick Riewoldt would have clean-up surgery and become a dangerous force again after a lacklustre 2011.

And with this, Matthews declared the Saints were an outside chance of returning to the top four for another crack at the prize.

The Channel Seven commentators were entertaining the subject for Ross Lyon had left St Kilda to coach Fremantle (not long after the Saints had been KOed by the Swans in the second elimination final).

In the wake of that result, Lyon made what many considered were prophetic comments, saying it felt like the "end of an era".

However, it was inconclusive if Lyon was talking about his time at St Kilda or about the team's time at the pointy end of the ladder… or both.

Indeed, the 2011 season was St Kilda's worst result since 2007 and ended a run of top-four finishes. The Saints did not register a win until round five and their second win came in round nine.

Yes, they appeared a shadow of the team that had been an unlucky runner-up in the previous two seasons.

Anyone who wants to dismiss St Kilda in 2012 can simply point to St Kilda's form in the first half of this year.

The naysayers will also highlight a significant dip in Brendon Goddard's output from 2010 to 2011, the crop of 30-somethings (or those nearing 30), and the retirees that include Michael Gardiner and Steven Baker.

The players nearing 30, or on the 'wrong side' of it, include Hayes, Riewoldt, Stephen Milne, Leigh Montagna and Sam Fisher - all vital cogs in the St Kilda machine.

But those with Lethal's half-full glass will tell you turning 30 does not mean it is time to put the slippers on, pour a glass of sherry and recline in a rocking chair.

St Kilda seemingly agrees. Early November AFL.com.au reported that the club's head of football Chris Pelchen was not thinking the team was in need of a dramatic injection of youth ahead of the 2011 draft.

Pelchen revealed the Saints would take the best-player-available approach during the draft, rather than the youngest, clearly indicating the club believed there was still a lot of life in the group.

"[Scott Watters is] a first-time senior coach and he is under no illusions there is a lot of work to be done [but] we're very, very confident going into next year that we can have a successful season," Pelchen said.

Geelong's achievements give the Saints hope. The Cats had an ageing list, a new coach and had been written off prior to winning their third flag in five years. But the coach, Chris Scott, managed his older players with care and the results went beyond anyone's expectation.

St Kilda insiders obviously believe with careful management their club can also get the best out of its older players and emulate the Cats.

And, like Geelong, a new coach may just be the tonic. Lyon often said his Saints lived inside a metaphorical bubble, intended to protect the players from outside scrutiny.

However, it seemed the bubble created its own suffocating pressure from within and who knows what impact that had on the players after four years of planning for a premiership.

On St Kilda's website there is now a sky-blue banner and a quote from Watters. Gone is the black and the slogan: "This is Saints Footy".

The blue seemingly represents a new horizon, a bright future, and the words say: "With any change there is great opportunity."

Three-time premiership coach Mick Malthouse said Watters was likely to give St Kilda a big hug… and just maybe that hug will burst the bubble and free the players from the pain of two heartbreaking Grand Final losses.

And just maybe Goddard, Hayes, Nick Dal Santo and Montagna can reassemble to be one of the competition's best midfields…  and just maybe Ben McEvoy will continue to improve, and Riewoldt will return to his most damaging, and St Kilda's defence will return to its most miserly.

And just maybe, with a little luck and a little love, St Kilda can reload for one more shot at the title. As Watters said, the Saints now have "opportunity", an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL