Who will the Saints draft?

The Saints have added a key defender in Jake Carlisle, but they still have some glaring issues in their young list. Every club could always benefit from extra run and class around the backline and midfield. An extra small forward would also benefit St Kilda, particularly now that Ahmed Saad is gone.

Pick 18 (Originally 14)

The big fish: Jade Gresham

Gresham makes sense for the Saints. He can play as an inside midfielder, an outside midfielder, a two-way defender or a smart forward. He’s good at just about everything and he also adds leadership to a young core. Ideally, he would probably begin as a small forward who could be a Rising Star chance, whilst transitioning to the midfield over time.

Plan b: Darcy Tucker

The Saints do have Jimmy Webster and Nathan Wright, but adding even more class isn’t an issue. Tucker is an excellent kick of the football and he has shown signs that he can find the football enough to be a midfielder if he gains consistency.

Pick 30 (Originally 45)

The big fish: Bailey Rice

Rice is a strong, determined defender who looks like he will be a ten-year plus player. He’s a great contested mark for a medium defender and he reads the play well enough. He’s got neat skills and he works hard on the rebound and he looks as though he could develop into a midfielder at some stage.

Pick 68

The big fish: Brandon White

It looks likely that White may be long gone by this pick, but he is a third tall defender, which makes his draft stocks hard to calculate. White plays in a similar fashion to Ben Stratton, so he could be the replacement for Sean Dempster. He’s got a good leap, he’s a decent ball user and he can play all over the ground.

Plan b: Blake Hardwick

Hardwick is probably the best pure small forward in the draft. He’s a terrific contested mark, and he’s far too strong for small defenders. He’s also too agile for taller opponents, so he is a match up nightmare. Hardwick is a terrific kick for goal and he does have a developing inside midfield game.

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