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St Kilda coaching latest: Saints meet with Ross Lyon for a second time
If there was any doubt former St Kilda coach Ross Lyon was the Saints’ No.1 target to replace sacked mentor Brett RattenPLAYERCARDSTART
Brett Ratten
- Age
- 53
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 88kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.4
- 5star
- K
- 12.1
- 4star
- HB
- 10.3
- 5star
- M
- 2.9
- 3star
- T
- 3.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 26.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.8
- 5star
- HB
- 12.6
- 5star
- M
- 3.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Jay Clark
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@ClarkyHeraldSun
4 min read
October 18, 2022 - 6:32PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
104 comments
01:10
President explains how Brett Ratten
PLAYERCARDSTART
Brett Ratten
- Age
- 53
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 88kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.4
- 5star
- K
- 12.1
- 4star
- HB
- 10.3
- 5star
- M
- 2.9
- 3star
- T
- 3.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 26.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.8
- 5star
- HB
- 12.6
- 5star
- M
- 3.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
AFL: Brett Ratten
PLAYERCARDSTART
Brett Ratten
- Age
- 53
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 88kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.4
- 5star
- K
- 12.1
- 4star
- HB
- 10.3
- 5star
- M
- 2.9
- 3star
- T
- 3.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 26.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.8
- 5star
- HB
- 12.6
- 5star
- M
- 3.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
AFL
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St Kilda powerbrokers met with Ross Lyon for a second time in as many days as the club zeroes in on its No.1 senior coaching target.
After a four-hour meeting on Monday, St Kilda officials including board members spoke in person with Lyon again for several more hours on Tuesday in a bid to seal his return to Moorabbin.
St Kilda is keen to land Lyon in the firm belief he has the experience, player relationship skills and tactical acumen to help the club rise up the ladder after only one finals campaign in 11 years.
While it is understood Lyon has not yet made a decision, he is clearly weighing up a return to the club he coached to four finals campaigns and three grand finals over five seasons between 2007-2011.
Friends have urged Lyon to take the reins again if he feels he has the hunger to commit to coaching at the highest level again after a two-year stint in AFL media and commercial property.
Ross Lyon is edging closer to a return to the Saints.
He has received strong endorsement from former St Kilda and Fremantle players including respected midfield great David Mundy
PLAYERCARDSTART
16
David Mundy
- Age
- 39
- Ht
- 192cm
- Wt
- 92kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 23.1
- 5star
- K
- 11.2
- 4star
- HB
- 11.8
- 5star
- M
- 3.6
- 4star
- T
- 4.3
- 5star
- CL
- 5.1
- 5star
- D
- 15.7
- 4star
- K
- 6.7
- 3star
- HB
- 9.0
- 4star
- M
- 2.3
- 2star
- T
- 2.7
- 4star
- CL
- 3.7
- 5star
- D
- 27.8
- 5star
- K
- 15.4
- 5star
- HB
- 12.4
- 5star
- M
- 5.8
- 5star
- T
- 6.2
- 5star
- CL
- 7.2
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
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Talks will continue over the next week as new Saints’ football manager Geoff Walsh looks to speak with Lyon and together assess the potential look of the rest of the football department.
Those discussions could happen as early as today as the Saints look to move quickly to appoint a replacement for Brett Ratten
PLAYERCARDSTART
Brett Ratten
- Age
- 53
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 88kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.4
- 5star
- K
- 12.1
- 4star
- HB
- 10.3
- 5star
- M
- 2.9
- 3star
- T
- 3.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 26.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.8
- 5star
- HB
- 12.6
- 5star
- M
- 3.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Former Adelaide coach Don Pyke and former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley, as well as contracted Western Bulldogs’ boss Luke Beveridge could also be sounded out.
Beveridge has one year to run on his contract at the kennel and could help use any interest from St Kilda to bolster a new long-term contract extension with the Bulldogs.
St Kilda has made clear it wants an experienced coach with a hard edge but Lyon’s enduring bonds with many of his senior players have also swayed the Saints to head hunt him.
St Kilda is keen for Lyon to replace sacked coach Brett Ratten
PLAYERCARDSTART
Brett Ratten
- Age
- 53
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 88kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.4
- 5star
- K
- 12.1
- 4star
- HB
- 10.3
- 5star
- M
- 2.9
- 3star
- T
- 3.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 26.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.8
- 5star
- HB
- 12.6
- 5star
- M
- 3.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
They include Saints’ director Jason Blake
PLAYERCARDSTART
Jason Blake
- Age
- 43
- Ht
- 189cm
- Wt
- 91kg
- Pos.
- Def
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 13.2
- 3star
- K
- 6.3
- 2star
- HB
- 6.8
- 4star
- M
- 4.9
- 5star
- T
- 2.0
- 4star
No current season stats available
- D
- 8.6
- 3star
- K
- 5.4
- 2star
- HB
- 3.2
- 3star
- M
- 2.8
- 3star
- T
- 2.2
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
PLAYERCARDSTART
Lenny Hayes
- Age
- 44
- Ht
- 186cm
- Wt
- 85kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.5
- 5star
- K
- 11.5
- 4star
- HB
- 11.0
- 5star
- M
- 3.7
- 4star
- T
- 5.0
- 5star
- CL
- 5.2
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 9.2
- 3star
- K
- 5.0
- 2star
- HB
- 4.2
- 4star
- M
- 1.6
- 2star
- T
- 0.4
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
Lyon helped change the culture at Fremantle when he arrived in 2012 and led the Dockers to a Grand Final in his second season in charge in 2013 after back-to-back Grand Finals at St Kilda in 2009-10.
St Kilda sacked Ratten with two years remaining on his contract last week following a searing review of the football club prompted president Andrew Bassat to make the big move.
The Saints have conceded the call to re-sign Ratten mid-year was a mistake.
However there has been criticism of the list over the past week which has described the squad as average and lacking in top-end talent.
The limitations could provide a challenge for any quick rise up the ladder next year but Lyon would likely be offered a long-term deal to take over at St Kilda.
An appointment is expected in the next fortnight.
‘Big step’ in Saints return for Ross the boss
—Scott GullanRoss Lyon is a step closer to returning to coach St Kilda after a four-hour meeting with the club’s hierarchy on Monday.
Just four days after sacking Brett Ratten
PLAYERCARDSTART
Brett Ratten
- Age
- 53
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 88kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.4
- 5star
- K
- 12.1
- 4star
- HB
- 10.3
- 5star
- M
- 2.9
- 3star
- T
- 3.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 26.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.8
- 5star
- HB
- 12.6
- 5star
- M
- 3.4
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Lyon emerged from St Kilda president Andrew Bassat’s Bayside home and confirmed his interest in the job.
“I just had a meeting, it’s a big step isn’t it?” he told Channel 7.
“We just had initial discussions.
“Otherwise I wouldn’t come and meet (if I wasn’t interested), it is a delicate time for everybody.
“It’s not easy coaching an AFL club.”
St Kilda’s chief executive Simon Lethlean also attended the meeting where Lyon outlined his plans for a possible return to the club he walked out on in 2011.
Ross Lyon has met with his former club over its vacant coaching position. Picture: Getty Images
Bassat has effectively taken charge of the club after being heavily involved in the wide-ranging review which led to the sacking of Ratten just three months after he’d been given a two-year contract extension.
It was obvious at Friday’s press conference to announce Ratten’s dismissal that the Saints already had someone in mind for the senior job.
“What I would say is between Andrew and myself and the board, we’ve uncovered what we need and our members need to know we’ll be swift and decisive and go and find the coach we need,” Lethlean said.
A number of former Saints who played under Lyon, including Brendon Goddard, have come out in support of his return to Moorabbin.
“I’m a massive advocate and fan of Ross,” Goddard said.
“There’s no reason why he wouldn’t be perfect for it, really. The game hasn’t changed that much.
“He still watches it and he still loves footy and his methods and his plan around how to build a culture that hasn’t changed.”
Who will be St Kilda's next senior coach?
Ross LyonAdem Yze
PLAYERCARDSTART
Adem Yze
- Age
- 47
- Ht
- 187cm
- Wt
- 85kg
- Pos.
- M/F
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 18.2
- 5star
- K
- 14.4
- 5star
- HB
- 3.8
- 3star
- M
- 4.0
- 4star
- T
- 1.7
- 4star
No current season stats available
- D
- 5.2
- 2star
- K
- 3.4
- 2star
- HB
- 1.8
- 2star
- M
- 0.6
- 1star
- T
- 0.6
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
Robert Harvey
Lenny Hayes
PLAYERCARDSTART
Lenny Hayes
- Age
- 44
- Ht
- 186cm
- Wt
- 85kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.5
- 5star
- K
- 11.5
- 4star
- HB
- 11.0
- 5star
- M
- 3.7
- 4star
- T
- 5.0
- 5star
- CL
- 5.2
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 9.2
- 3star
- K
- 5.0
- 2star
- HB
- 4.2
- 4star
- M
- 1.6
- 2star
- T
- 0.4
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
Luke Beveridge
Mark Williams
Mark McVeigh
PLAYERCARDSTART
Mark Mcveigh
- Age
- 43
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 85kg
- Pos.
- D/M
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 17.1
- 4star
- K
- 11.6
- 4star
- HB
- 5.5
- 4star
- M
- 3.6
- 4star
- T
- 3.0
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 18.4
- 5star
- K
- 13.6
- 5star
- HB
- 4.8
- 4star
- M
- 5.6
- 5star
- T
- 2.0
- 4star
PLAYERCARDEND
Ash Hansen
Other
Cast your vote
Former Saints’ gun Brendon Goddard has backed Ross Lyon’s return.
Goddard, a key piece in St Kilda’s near-successes under Lyon in 2009 and 2010, has revealed he would be open to returning to Linton Street.
Club legend Lenny Hayes
PLAYERCARDSTART
Lenny Hayes
- Age
- 44
- Ht
- 186cm
- Wt
- 85kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 22.5
- 5star
- K
- 11.5
- 4star
- HB
- 11.0
- 5star
- M
- 3.7
- 4star
- T
- 5.0
- 5star
- CL
- 5.2
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 9.2
- 3star
- K
- 5.0
- 2star
- HB
- 4.2
- 4star
- M
- 1.6
- 2star
- T
- 0.4
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
Lyon blindsided the Saints when he walked out on them – he didn’t even tell his own manager – at the end of 2011, taking up a massive offer to coach Fremantle.
More Coverage
‘This is bulls***:’ Full story on why Ross walked out of St KildaMcRae 2.0? Huge wraps on Saints coaching contenderSavage inside story of how Saints ‘blindsided’ RattsRobbo: Most damning aspect of Ratten ‘balls up’He took the Dockers to the Grand Final in 2013 where they lost to Hawthorn before being sacked in 2019.
Lyon has since forged an impressive media career appearing on Nine’s Footy Classified and in the special comments chair for Triple M.