# 2022 St Kilda Football Club season

The 2022 St Kilda Football Club season is the 124th competing in the VFL/AFL and 138th in the club's history. Coached by Brett Ratten and captained by Jack Steele, they are competing in the AFL's 2022 Premiership Season.

## Squad changes
### Retirements and delistings

Three retirees were announced in the days following St Kilda's final game of 2021, while Dylan Roberton had announced his retirement in January. While the Saints' lost 612 games of experience, combined the retirees only managed 10 games in 2021.
| Player | Reason | Career games | Career goals |
| Sam Alabakis | Delisted | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Carlisle | Retired | 151 (66 St Kilda, 85 Essendon) | 62 |
| Oscar Clavarino | Delisted | 5 | 0 |
| Luke Dunstan | Free Agency | 116 | 46 |
| James Frawley | Retired | 241 (2 St Kilda, 100 Melbourne, 139 Hawthorn) | 24 |
| Paul Hunter | Delisted | 7 | 2 |
| Jack Lonie | Delisted | 87 | 73 |
| Shaun McKernan | Retired | 91 (4 St Kilda, 53 Essendon, 34 Adelaide) | 74 |
| Dylan Roberton | Retired | 129 (92 St Kilda, 37 Fremantle) | 20 |

### Trade period

| Clubs involved | Trade | Trade | Ref |
| Melbourne Western Bulldogs Adelaide St Kilda | to Melbourne pick #17 (from Western Bulldogs) pick #37 (from Adelaide) pick #49 (from St Kilda) to Western Bulldogs pick #23 (from Adelaide) pick #44 (from Adelaide) pick #45 (from Melbourne) | to Adelaide pick #33 (from Melbourne) pick #75 (from Western Bulldogs) 2022 first round pick (Melbourne) to St Kilda pick #62 (from Adelaide) pick #66 (from Adelaide) 2022 fourth round pick (Adelaide) | |

### Delisted free agency period

Former North Melbourne and Western Bulldogs ruckman Tom Campbell joined the Saints as a delisted free agent on 5 November 2021.

### National draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Recruited from | Recruited from | Notes |
| Round | Pick | Player | Club | League | Notes |
| 1 | 11 | Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera | Glenelg | SANFL | |
| 2 | 33 | Mitchito Owens | Sandringham Dragons | NAB League | Next Generation Academy selection (Japanese descent), matched bid by Sydney |
| 3 | 47 | Marcus Windhager | Sandringham Dragons | NAB League | Next Generation Academy selection (Indigenous), matched bid by Geelong |
| 3 | 51 | Oscar Adams | Glenelg | SANFL | ←Melbourne (draft)←Western Bulldogs (2020) |

### Category B rookie selections

| Name | Origin | Note | Ref |
| Jack Peris | Sandringham Dragons (NAB League) | Next Generation Academy selection (indigenous) | |
| Josiah Kyle | Dandenong Stingrays (NAB League) | Next Generation Academy selection (indigenous) | |

### Pre-season supplemental selection period

| Name | Recruited from | Recruited from | Note | Ref |
| Jack Hayes | Woodville-West Torrens | SANFL | | |
| Jarrod Lienert | Port Adelaide | AFL | | |

### Coaching staff changes

In:
* Corey Enright (Defence)
* Nick Walsh (High Performance Manager)
* Damian Carroll (Head of Development and Learning)
* Ernie Merrick (Senior Coach Mentor)
Out:
* Aaron Hamill (Defence)
* Adam Skrobalak (Forwards)
* Matt Hornsby (High Performance Manager)
* Andrew Wallis (Senior Physio)

## Pre-season
### Practice matches

A practice match against Carlton at Princes Park was confirmed on 7 February 2022 to be played a fortnight later in preparation for the home and away season.
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Attendance |
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Home | Away | Result | Venue | Attendance |
| Practice | Thursday 24 February, 10.00am | Carlton | 9.13 (67) | 8.12 (60) | Lost by 7 points | Princes Park (A) | TBA |
| 1 | Saturday 5 March, 7.10pm | Essendon | 9.17 (71) | 12.10 (82) | Won by 11 points | Marvel Stadium (A) | 9,075 |

## Premiership season
### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Geelong (P) | 22 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 2146 | 1488 | 144.2 | 72 | Finals series |
| 2 | Melbourne | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 1936 | 1483 | 130.5 | 64 | Finals series |
| 3 | Sydney | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2067 | 1616 | 127.9 | 64 | Finals series |
| 4 | Collingwood | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 1839 | 1763 | 104.3 | 64 | Finals series |
| 5 | Fremantle | 22 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1739 | 1486 | 117.0 | 62 | Finals series |
| 6 | Brisbane Lions | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 2147 | 1799 | 119.3 | 60 | Finals series |
| 7 | Richmond | 22 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 2165 | 1780 | 121.6 | 54 | Finals series |
| 8 | Western Bulldogs | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1973 | 1812 | 108.9 | 48 | Finals series |
| 9 | Carlton | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1857 | 1714 | 108.3 | 48 | |
| 10 | St Kilda | 22 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 1703 | 1715 | 99.3 | 44 | |
| 11 | Port Adelaide | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1806 | 1638 | 110.3 | 40 | |
| 12 | Gold Coast | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1871 | 1820 | 102.8 | 40 | |
| 13 | Hawthorn | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 1787 | 1991 | 89.8 | 32 | |
| 14 | Adelaide | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 1721 | 1986 | 86.7 | 32 | |
| 15 | Essendon | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1737 | 2087 | 83.2 | 28 | |
| 16 | Greater Western Sydney | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1631 | 1927 | 84.6 | 24 | |
| 17 | West Coast | 22 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 1429 | 2389 | 59.8 | 8 | |
| 18 | North Melbourne | 22 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 1337 | 2397 | 55.8 | 8 | |

### Result by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | – | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H |
| Result | L | W | W | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | B | L | L | L | W | L | L | W | W | L | L | L |
| Position | 12 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 |

### Matches

The fixture for the 2022 season was released on 9 December 2021, with only the first nine rounds released with dates and times for each match. The remainder of the fixture from round 10 was left as a floating fixture so as to prioritize the best matches for each round in prime-time slots, and dates were released progressively through the year.
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold) | Scores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Attendance | Ladder |
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Home | Away | Result | Venue | Attendance | Ladder |
| 1 | Friday 18 March, 7.50pm | Collingwood | 12.13 (85) | 15.12 (102) | Lost by 17 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 40,129 | 12th |
| 2 | Sunday 27 March, 3.20pm | Fremantle | 8.7 (55) | 9.11 (65) | Won by 10 points | Perth Stadium (A) | 25,284 | 11th |
| 3 | Sunday 3 April, 3.20pm | Richmond | 18.9 (117) | 13.6 (84) | Won by 33 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 31,933 | 9th |
| 4 | Sunday, 10 April, 3.20pm | Hawthorn | 10.13 (73) | 22.10 (142) | Won by 69 points | MCG (A) | 30,926 | 4th |
| 5 | Saturday, 16 April, 1.45pm | Gold Coast | 13.9 (87) | 9.7 (61) | Won by 26 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 18,724 | 4th |
| 6 | Friday, 22 April, 7.50pm | Greater Western Sydney | 8.12 (60) | 10.17 (77) | Won by 17 points | Manuka Oval (A) | 14,548 | 5th |
| 7 | Saturday 30 April, 7.25pm | Port Adelaide | 4.18 (42) | 5.13 (43) | Lost by 1 point | Cazalys Stadium (H) | 6,645 | 4th |
| 8 | Sunday 8 May, 1.10pm | Melbourne | 14.9 (93) | 8.7 (55) | Lost by 38 points | MCG (A) | 35,767 | 7th |
| 9 | Saturday 14 May, 4.35pm | Geelong | 13.12 (90) | 11.14 (80) | Won by 10 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 32,517 | 6th |
| 10 | Saturday 21 May, 7.00pm | Adelaide | 9.15 (69) | 14.6 (90) | Won by 21 points | Adelaide Oval (A) | 28,783 | 5th |
| 11 | Sunday 29 May, 1.10pm | North Melbourne | 16.7 (103) | 7.8 (50) | Won by 53 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 23,464 | 4th |
| 12 | Bye Round | Bye Round | Bye Round | Bye Round | Bye Round | Bye Round | Bye Round | 5th |
| 13 | Saturday 11 June, 7.25pm | Brisbane Lions | 10.18 (78) | 8.9 (57) | Lost by 21 points | Gabba (A) | 26,610 | 6th |
| 14 | Friday 17 June, 7.50pm | Essendon | 11.6 (72) | 15.17 (107) | Lost by 35 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 33,274 | 8th |
| 15 | Saturday 25 June, 7.25pm | Sydney | 12.11 (83) | 4.8 (32) | Lost by 51 points | SCG (A) | 31,513 | 10th |
| 16 | Friday 1 July, 7.25pm | Carlton | 10.18 (78) | 14.9 (93) | Won by 15 points | Docklands Stadium (A) | 43,194 | 9th |
| 17 | Saturday 9 July, 7.25pm | Fremantle | 10.10 (70) | 17.9 (111) | Lost by 41 | Docklands Stadium (H) | 21,652 | 9th |
| 18 | Friday 15 July, 7.50pm | Western Bulldogs | 13.6 (84) | 7.14 (56) | Lost by 28 | Docklands Stadium (A) | 25,981 | 10th |
| 19 | Sunday, 24 July, 4.40pm | West Coast | 10.2 (62) | 14.6 (90) | Won by 28 points | Perth Stadium (A) | 35,665 | 9th |
| 20 | Saturday, 30 July, 4:35pm | Hawthorn | 10.15 (75) | 9.9 (63) | Won by 12 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 25,348 | 8th |
| 21 | Saturday, 6 August, 7:25pm | Geelong | 17.8 (110) | 10.5 (65) | Lost by 45 points | Kardinia Park (A) | 20,583 | 9th |
| 22 | Friday, 12 August, 7:50pm | Brisbane Lions | 9.12 (66) | 12.9 (81) | Lost by 15 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 22,211 | 10th |
| 23 | Sunday, 21 August, 4:40pm | Sydney | 11.8 (74) | 13.10 (88) | Lost by 14 points | Docklands Stadium (H) | 23,344 | 10th |

## Players and staff
### Playing and coaching staff list

The playing squad and coaching staff of the St Kilda Football Club for the 2022 AFL season as of 8 August 2022.

### Player selection and availability

Team selection of the St Kilda Football Club for the 2022 AFL season as of 29 May 2022.
| Player | R1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Oscar Adams | | s | s | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Josh Battle | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jack Billings | i | i | i | i | i | i | | | x | x | e | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dan Butler | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | i | i | e | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ryan Byrnes | x | x | e | m | m | e | e | e | e | m | e | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jack Bytel | i | i | i | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tom Campbell | e | e | | | e | c | x | e | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hunter Clark | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Leo Connolly | | | | e | e | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nick Coffield | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i |
| Brad Crouch | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jarryn Geary | i | | | i | | | | | e | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jade Gresham | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dan Hannebery | | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | | | | | | | | | |
| Jack Hayes | x | x | x | e | x | x | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i | i |
| Max Heath | | | | | | e | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jack Higgins | x | x | x | i | x | x | x | x | x | i | c | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Bradley Hill | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dougal Howard | x | c | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tom Highmore | | e | | e | e | e | e | | | e | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Zak Jones | p | p | p | p | | c | | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Darragh Joyce | | x | e | | | | | e | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dean Kent | x | | e | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Max King | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Josiah Kyle | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jarrod Lienert | e | x | x | x | x | m | e | | e | e | e | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ben Long | e | e | m | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rowan Marshall | x | x | x | x | x | x | i | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Matthew McLeod-Allison | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Daniel McKenzie | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tim Membrey | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mitchito Owens | x | | | | | | e | | | e | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ben Paton | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jack Peris | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Seb Ross | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Paddy Ryder | i | | x | x | s | s | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cooper Sharman | | m | | | | | | | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jack Sinclair | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jack Steele | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | i | i | i | i | | | | | | | | | |
| Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera | m | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jimmy Webster | x | x | x | x | c | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Callum Wilkie | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Marcus Windhager | | | | x | x | x | x | m | m | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mason Wood | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
Legend: x - selected; m - selected as the medical substitute; e - selected as an emergency; i - unavailable due to injury; s - unavailable due to suspension; p- unavailable due to personal leave; c- unavailable due to Health and Safety Protocols (COVID-19); blank - available but did not play