ST KILDA coach Alan Richardson has heard the noise. Jack Billings ahead of Marcus Bontempelli in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft could become the Luke Hodge versus Chris Judd debate of this decade.

Bontempelli, the fourth selection overall that year is an emerging superstar who played a key part in last year's premiership win by the Western Bulldogs. 

Billings, taken the selection before, has battled injury for parts of the last two seasons and spent time in the VFL last year, but Richardson could not speak about the midfielder in more glowing terms. 

"Here's where I sit. Whether it's Paddy McCartin as a key forward or Christian Petracca as a midfielder, whether it's Billings versus Bontempelli or Hodge versus Judd, you go there saying 'this is what I want for the footy club,'" he told AFL.com.au.

"I want Jack Billings to be the player we drafted and I'm incredibly confident he'll be that.

"Will he win fewer awards than someone else? I don't care. That's where I sit." 

Richardson said he was staggered to read articles this summer listing the 21-year-old among those under pressure heading into 2017. 

"I find that laughable. He's a kid in his fourth year but I understand that Bontempelli is coming off a wonderful year," he said. 

Nevertheless, he did feel the need to sit down with Billings, to set some goals and to reassure him that he was tracking the right way towards achieving them. 

"He wouldn't want anyone making excuses for him, but he hasn't had the best go at it physically," Richardson said. 

"This pre-season has been very positive and he's done an enormous amount of work. He's been outstanding, and I like the way he's pushing himself and demanding more of himself and he becomes the player he wants to be."

The 2013 draft is shaping as a beauty, with Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly, picks No.1 and No.2 respectively, also on track for outstanding careers. After some early hiccups and a controversial move to the Bulldogs after one year, Boyd was almost best on ground in last year's Grand Final, while Kelly finished fourth in the best and fairest at the Giants in 2016.