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the year that was

THE YEAR THAT WAS

2011 Snapshot

2011 snapshot Ladder position: 7th
Leading goalkicker: Stephen Milne (56)
Leading possession winner: Nick Dal Santo (615)

End of season report

St Kilda's season started slowly, improved dramatically and then ended abruptly.
Full report →

Stats leaders

St Kilda stats leadersMost kicks: Nick Dal Santo (338)
Most handballs: Nick Dal Santo (277)
Marks: Nick Riewoldt (154)
Most hit-outs: Ben McEvoy (497)
All 2011 stats →

NAB AFL Rising Star nominees

St Kilda rising star nomineesJack Steven (round 10)

Games that shaped the season

Rd 2: St Kilda 13.17 (95) drew with Richmond 14.11 (95)
This one shaped the season in more ways than one. Not only did the previous season's grand finalists tie with a team ranked well below them but the Saints also lost star midfielder Lenny Hayes to a season-ending knee injury.
Hayes' absence was immediately felt as Richmond's low-profile midfield ran all over the Saints and even though Tiger star Jack Riewoldt was taken off early with concussion, his team almost snatched an unlikely win. While the result was equal, it was clear which team lost more from it.

Rd 3: Essendon 21.10 (136) d St Kilda 12.12 (84)
Starting to get desperate for a win, the Saints took on an Essendon team that had the edge on them in recent years. The Bombers continued their impressive start under coach James Hird with a thumping 52-point win while a candid Ross Lyon admitted post-match that the Saints were not the same team that had starred for the previous three years. Nick Riewoldt had a frustrating night in his 200th AFL game despite kicking three goals and question marks began to hover over the Saints.

Round 8: Hawthorn 14.15 (99) d St Kilda 10.9 (69)
The Saints finally looked set to shake off their bad run of luck with an impressive five goal to none first quarter against the highly-fancied Hawks. The Hawks were decimated with early injuries to Stephen Gilham and David Hale but still managed to fight back thanks largely to an unlikely starring role from temporary ruckman Jarryd Roughead. The come-from-behind Hawthorn victory meant the Saints had just one win to show for the first eight weeks of the season and plenty were writing off their finals chances.

Round 10: St Kilda 15.12 (102) d Fremantle 7.14 (56)
Despite beating Melbourne the previous week, the knives were still out for the Saints, who were faced with a daunting trip to Perth to take on top eight team Fremantle. But something clicked for the Saints and they slammed on four goals in the opening quarter. Unlike the loss to Hawthorn two weeks earlier, they held on to the lead and blew Fremantle away, keeping them to just one goal to half-time. Jack Steven played the best game of his career and became the club's first NAB AFL Rising Star nominee in almost three years. The day was not without its dramas, as Brendon Goddard and Sean Dempster were both stretchered off with head injuries.

Round 17: St Kilda 13.4 (82) d West Coast 9.7 (61)
The Saints had well and truly got back to their winning ways but were yet to claim one of the big scalps of the League. Any doubts about St Kilda's ability against finals-bound teams was wiped when they kicked six goals to one behind in the first quarter. Leigh Montagna and Sam Fisher starred and the Saints held their nerve even though the Eagles reclaimed the lead briefly in the third quarter. The only lowlight for St Kilda was a season-ending knee injury to defender James Gwilt, but otherwise it was a bright night in what turned out to be West Coast's only loss in the final 14 weeks of the season.

Full match replays →

project 2010

PROJECT 2012

2011 NAB AFL Draft picks

List Manager

A tall forward might be on the cards now that Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke are into their late 20s. Koschitzke had been used more as a back-up ruckman this season and Riewoldt could use some more support when teams double and triple team him

Retirements & delistings


NIL
** - rookie-listed

Most valuable player

List Assessment Nick Dal Santo's value to the Saints soared after Hayes' season ended in round two. Questions were immediately asked about who would provide the grunt and leadership in the midfield but the answer became evident as the season wore on. For much of his career, Dal Santo had not been regarded as an in and under player for the Saints but he played the role beautifully in 2011, finishing in the top 20 of the AFL for contested possessions.

Next big thing

Next big thing Jack Steven had to wait his turn as the Saints won most of their games over the past few seasons but he stepped up to be a valuable part of the team in 2011. He became the club's first Rising Star nominee in three seasons and showed with his pace and goal sense that he has plenty to offer. By the end of the year he was an established part of the midfield where he looks like entrenching himself for the next decade.
Jack Steven profile
2011
Debutants		 Games Goals Avg. DT
Nicholas Winmar
 2 0 33
Tom Ledger
 2 1 33
Tom Simpkin
 2 0 50
Arryn Siposs
 5 5 35.8
Daniel Archer 1 0 43
Will Johnson 1 0 17
Alistair Smith 3 0 47.6
Jamie Cripps 4 7 35.2

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