DARREN Jolly has had an immediate impact on St Kilda's young ruckmen in his first three sessions as the club's new part-time ruck coach.
Jolly, 32, was appointed to the Saints' coaching panel in December after reluctantly retiring from his 237-game career.
He started work with the young Saints, including Tom Hickey and new recruit Billy Longer, last week and has already shown the inexperienced pair how much he can teach them having only recently stepped out of the game.
"He's really good. I've already sat down and watched tapes with him and we've done a fair bit of full-on practical stuff," Hickey told AFL.com.au on Tuesday.
"He wants to join in as well so it's good having that extra bigger body that we might have to come up against at training.
"He was the best at holding his ground."
Jolly left Collingwood in bitter circumstances, having been delisted in October after his relationship with coach Nathan Buckley deteriorated.
He then spoke to St Kilda and later Essendon about potentially becoming a mature-aged rookie but was passed over by both clubs in the November draft.
Despite the disillusionment he admitted he felt towards the end of his final year, he has arrived at the Saints full of enthusiasm to teach the ruckman who will be called on for plenty of senior football this season following the departure of Ben McEvoy.
"He seems really excited about it and really passionate, which is really good," Hickey said.
"He's training us hard and I think he just wants to keep getting as much out of us as he can.
"You can just tell he's really excited about the role and I think he's in for a long and illustrious coaching career."
Jolly has worked with the players for three sessions so far. His role is part-time and encompasses a full session on Wednesdays and another half day.
They've lifted weights and watched footage of other ruckmen with him, as well as gone head-to-head with the dual premiership big man.
Hickey said the fact Jolly was so fresh out of the game was a huge advantage.
"He really understands how hard the modern day ruckmen have to run and how hard they have to work to get across the ground," he said.
"He understands where the game is at the moment and where the right spots to be are, and also with all the new rules with not touching before the ball goes up, he's all over it because he's lived it.
"He's been around for so long and he's very particular about knowing the opposition ruckman, which is really good because he's played against them all as well.
"I've been lucky enough to work under a few ruck coaches and ruckmen so it's great to have another take on the craft."
Hickey also said McEvoy's trade to Hawthorn completely took him by surprise after the two had formed the nucleus of a rucking partnership in 2013.
"It definitely shocked me. I didn't know at all. I gave him a call as soon as I found out and he was over in Thailand," he said.
"I was shocked because I thought we were working really well together and training really well, and we got along pretty well as well so I was hoping to set us up for a few years working together."
Hickey said he could see both him and Longer in the same team along with Rhys Stanley, who he tipped for a forward/ruck role this season.
