DROPPED St Kilda duo Jesse Tawhiao-Wardlaw and Maya Louvel-Finn have learned their lesson, but interim AFLW coach Matt Brewer denies he's had to raise standards among the playing group since taking over from Nick Dal Santo.

Brewer last round made the call to omit high-profile forward Tawhiao-Wardlaw and first-year player Louvel-Finn after the pair failed to complete mandatory club tasks during the week.

Tawhiao-Wardlaw has struggled for form this season, kicking nine goals in 10 games but going goalless in six outings. 

In just his second game at the helm, Brewer elected to drop Tawhiao-Wardlaw for the side’s round 11 clash against her former side Brisbane - with which she won a premiership in 2021 and was the competition’s leading goalkicker in season seven, 2022. 

Brewer wouldn’t be drawn on the specifics of what the tasks were, but said he expected the pair to return to the side for the last game of the season.

“Jesse and Maya are both valued players, loved players in our program,” Brewer said following Saturday's match.

“We had a meeting when I took over the role. I just had some expectations for the girls. That was made quite clear to them. During the week, those expectations weren’t met.

“They’ve got metrics they’ve got to hit each week. And it may be minor, but to us, we’re trying to grow. We’re trying to set standards and expectations.

“But they were here today celebrating every single moment, I heard them screaming [encouragement from the stands], so yeah, what a growth.

“I’m pretty sure they’ll be back next week, I think they’ve learned a lesson.”

Despite taking decisive action so early into his time in the top job, Brewer denied standards had become higher under his command than they had been under Dal Santo, who announced his resignation as St Kilda coach ahead of round nine following a winless season up until that point. 

“Not at all,” Brewer said when asked if standards had been lower under Dal Santo.

“The past is in the past. I was just looking at these three games ahead. And what I asked from the girls, they quite clearly know what’s expected of them. So I’m expecting from here on in our standards will be right up there.”

With just one game remaining in St Kilda’s season and therefore Brewer’s tenure as interim coach, Brewer said he hadn’t turned his mind to throwing his hat in the ring for the permanent role.

“Honestly, I haven’t even thought about it. I’ve just been looking at these three weeks, and I’ll look on to next week and whatever happens, happens,” he said.

“[I’m] loving it, so grateful to the club for giving me this opportunity. We’ve had so much support from Carl and the board and everyone in the men’s program. I’ve been blown away by the support that I’ve had. I’m just so thankful for the club for giving me this opportunity. I’m really enjoying it and really looking forward to next week as well.”

Brewer joined the Saints ahead of the 2026 season after four years at Melbourne, during which the Demons won a premiership and regularly appeared in finals.

Despite the Saints remaining winless from two starts under Brewer, they’ve played with visible intent and have been able to hit the scoreboard relatively more frequently.

“Just to believe in themselves,” Brewer said when asked about his key messaging to his players since taking over.

“I really haven’t changed too much, my language hasn’t changed too much. I just wanted to take the game on a little bit more. Sometimes we’re just stuck in these little ways and I think there’s a bit of talent there that we can untap,” Brewer said.

“I’ve just asked the girls to back themselves in and believe in themselves a little bit more to take the game on. So there hasn’t been too much of a switch. Maybe just in terms of my language around how we use the ball.

“Some of the girls have a little bit of self-doubt. I just want these girls to start having a bit of freedom about the way they play football and hopefully just re-energise them to love the game.”

Despite a tumultuous season in which they’ve only one one game - Dal Santo’s farewell match, Brewer said morale among the playing group had remained high and the cohort united.

“I can’t fault the girls. Every single Monday they turn up with smiles on their faces,” he said.

“We’ve had some real enjoyment. The whole year we’ve had a really good time. It’s just that they’re not getting the wins. But you know, we’re growing, we’re growing as a club. And I think in the next couple of years hopefully we’re back up the top echelon of the competition.”

St Kilda hosts Port Adelaide at RSEA Park on Saturday at 1.05pm AEDT. Tickets available here.