Regardless of what you anticipated from St Kilda this year, you surely expected more than that. Sunday showcased a classic Ross Lyon game – but without the win and without the effort. In the post-match press conference, the coach tried to stay positive. As usual, he attempted to deflect attention, charm the audience, and shape the narrative around the team. But no one was convinced, except perhaps his former media colleagues who continue to go easy on him. It was glaringly obvious on Sunday – St Kilda lacks star players, a strong midfield, and any qualities that make them enjoyable or credible.
Lyon has been given significant authority at St Kilda. He’s driven considerable changes – in recruiters, development staff, and CEOs. Upon his appointment, he outlined his vision for the team’s play and the club’s operations. He was both charming and blunt, delivering the usual maxims. Football has evolved, he claimed, and he would evolve with it. He’d be less erratic during games and less autocratic. He’d become “Cuddly Ross.”
What he lacks, and hasn’t been able to alter, is the player roster. He admitted to barely reviewing the roster before taking the job at Fremantle and St Kilda. Previously, he had Matthew Pavlich and a young Nathan Fyfe. This time, he inherited a roster that appeared mediocre, congested, and poorly structured.
Initially, under his leadership, the Saints surprised the competition. They had limitations, but they were extremely fit and relentless. However, progress has stalled. Currently, the Saints are tough to watch. The coach seems a bit puzzled by the situation. He expected better results. One of his favorite phrases is, “Failure’s feedback.” He keeps repeating it, but they keep losing in the same manner.
The supporters have experienced and heard it all, enduring too much. But they expected better than this. Losing is hard enough. Losing while struggling to score a couple of goals per quarter is just depressing.
Lyon termed his first year “a year of exploration.” However, 2024 has been more of a reality check. For him, it’s the realization that a coach can’t simply come in and overcome decades of poor drafting, trading, and development. For everyone else, it’s Lyon’s own limitations that are evident – the inability or unwillingness to nurture a sustainable and, at the very least, watchable brand of football.
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