Nathan Buckley expects Ross Lyon to be a success in his second stint coaching St Kilda.
Lyon was announced as St Kilda coach last October with the 56-year-old returning to the Saints after coaching the club between 2007-2011.
While Lyon hasn’t coached at the top level since his sacking as Fremantle coach in 2019, Buckley wasn’t surprised Lyon had the desire to return to clubland after falling just short of premierships after finishing runners-up with St Kilda in 2009 and 2010 and with Fremantle in 2013.
“I’m not surprised Ross has gone back in,” Buckley told SEN Afternoons.
“I still think he has that burning ambition at the helm of a premiership year or a premiership campaign, and he’s obviously very good at it.
“I really like Ross as a coach, I like the way he goes about it.
“To get two different squads over significant periods of time (to Grand Finals) is impressive.”
While Lyon is a tried and tested coach, Buckley expects him to be “different” this time around as he comes to the club with new ideas and perspectives.
“I think he will be different,” Buckley said.
“He’ll be more mature, we’re the same person, we’re just slightly different versions of ourselves.
“Even if he changes five per cent, that’ll still significant, but he’s got the wealth of experience there.
“I’m really interested to see how he handles St Kilda and that situation, I think that he will have a significant impact with that group and that club again.”
Lyon’s first official game back in charge of the Saints comes in Round 1 of the 2023 season when St Kilda host Fremantle at Marvel Stadium on March 19.