Gerard Healy believes St Kilda should follow Essendon’s list strategy of going to the draft and turning to youth.
The Saints made the finals last year on the back of a heavy recruitment drive that saw several players arrive at Moorabbin from other clubs.
St Kilda’s season is teetering on the brink of collapse after a 111-point loss to the Western Bulldogs, their opponent in last year’s Elimination Final win.
Brett Ratten’s side sit 14th on the ladder at 4-6 with a woeful percentage of 72.6.
Healy thinks the Saints need to go back in order to go forward by replenishing their list with some high-end talent at the draft.
“I think it’s been a really interesting year for lessons in list building,” the Brownlow Medallist told Sportsday.
“There’s no Devon Smith, Dylan Shiel and Jake Stringer, they’ll come back in and they’ll help. They’re part of the mix. But the real transition has been on the basis of youth, maybe a new coaching regime, but essentially with youth.
“To me, if I’m looking at St Kilda, they need to make this call at some stage.
“They’ve had a really poor season, they’ve ignored the draft last year and probably the last couple of years to try and build some competitiveness, but if it hits the brick wall, they’ve only got one avenue.
“You look at Port Adelaide, got plenty of talent, but are not going to get there. Go back to the draft, pick up three or four really good kids. Sydney Swans the same. Brisbane Lions have really rebuilt. GWS have rebuilt.
Stay up to date with all the latest news from SEN. Sign up HERE.
“What do you do now? You’ve gone out and given away first and second-rounders. They’re well unders as far as a premiership is concerned, so how do they do it?
“They can’t trade away their future (picks) trying to pinch this one player. Go back to the draft, get three more kids, and just hope in a year or two years’ time, you’re back with the mix that can win one.”
The Saints have used just one first-round pick in the last two years, selecting forward Matthew Allison with pick No.26 in the 2020 National Draft.