Ahead of the first of our two pre-season meetings against St Kilda, we thought we'd check in on the key happenings out of Moorabbin over the off-season.
- Just 11 days after the Saints' 2019 campaign came to a completion, the club appointed Brett Ratten as the club's 46th senior coach. The former Hawks assistant has since openly stated that he expects the side to break its nine-year finals drought in 2020.
- St Kilda was seen as one of the league's big winners out of the trade period as it stocked up on experienced players ready to make an impact for the club. Former Hawk and Docker Brad Hill joined the Saints, alongside Paddy Ryder, Dougal Howard, Zak Jones and Dan Butler.
- The Saints took picks 52 and 64 into the national draft after their busy trade period, calling out Ryan Byrnes and Leo Connolly respectively. A day later in the rookie draft, Sandringham Dragons product Jack Bell also had his name called out by the Saints.
- Young key forward Max King sent a message to his club's selection committee when he booted four goals in the Saints intraclub on Friday last week. Taken with the fourth pick in the 2018 draft, King did not feature at senior level in his first season at the Saints but the hype will inevitably build after the youngster has prove one of the Saints' summer stand-outs.
- On Wednesday, the eve of its first Marsh Community Series clash against the Hawks, St Kilda announced its 2020 leadership group. Jarryn Geary will lead the club as captain for the fourth consecutive year, supported by Seb Ross as vice captain. Tim Membrey, Dylan Roberton, Jack Billings and boom recruit Hill round out the remainder of the club's leaders.
