St Kilda is one of the more intriguing teams heading into the 2023 AFL season.
Having finished 10th in 2022 under Brett Ratten, many would have expected the Saints to push for finals this year.
However, the club opted to part ways with Ratten and bring Ross Lyon back to Moorabbin in a major coaching overhaul.
There’s no doubt the pressure on the Saints will be magnified with Lyon in the hot seat, but will he make drastic changes to the playing style?
David King is of the belief that consistency could be a theme under Lyon who he expects to squeeze everything he can out of this Saints list.
“I think you’ll get some consistency there, that’s one thing you’ll definitely get,” King said on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“What are they going to do? Are they going to be a more offensive team than we’re used to? I think they’ve got plenty of assets to work with.
“But Ross will get the most out of that playing group. We maybe haven’t seen that for a while.
“They’re around the mark. They won 11 games last year, so they’re not far off finals footy.
“In the end it’s about winning premierships and he’ll be working out who are the players that are there to win big games at the right time of the year. At the pointy end in September, which players are taking you there?
“I think that’s what we’ll learn.”
King referenced the subtle changes made by Carlton coach Michael Voss who implemented a handball out of clearance game in his first year at the helm.
While the Blues didn’t play finals in the end, they were very good in the first half of the year on the back of a minor tinker with King expecting similar small changes from Lyon at the Saints.
“These are the sorts of little things we’re looking for,” he added.
“You’re only tinkering with game plan and personnel, but they have a huge impact on what you become.
“What are your assets as a team? What can you stand toe to toe with and say, ‘you’ve got to deny us this, or we’ll get the job done today’.”
The Saints added Zaine Cordy from the Western Bulldogs in the off-season while picking up Mattaes Phillipou, Olli Hotton, Isaac Keeler and James Van Es through the draft.
They kick off their 2023 season against Fremantle at Marvel Stadium on March 19.