St Kilda has suffered another blow to their key position stocks with forward/ruck Jack Hayes likely to miss at least the first month of the 2023 AFL season after sustaining a serious foot injury at training Monday.
The 26-year-old went under the knife this week in an attempt to stabilise his injured foot after scans revealed a metatarsal break.
Hayes is expected to miss up to 10 weeks in what is a cruel blow for the mature-age recruit, having been nearing a return to full training following the devastating ACL injury he suffered against the GWS Giants in Round 6 last year which prematurely ended his debut season.
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“His resilience has been unfairly tested for an athlete so early in his career, but we know that he will attack his rehab in the same professional manner we have become accustomed to.”
Although the eight to 10 week time frame would typically mean an early to mid-March return for Hayes, it is highly likely that the South Australian will miss at least the first month of the season.
The Saints are expected to take an overly cautious approach considering the big man is still working his way back from the ACL injury prior to the latest setback.
Hayes’ injury is set to test the Saints key position depth, in particular their forward line, with the club already undermanned following Paddy Ryder’s retirement and Max King’s catastrophic training mishap prior to Christmas.
King was St Kilda’s leading goalkicker in 2022, booting 52 goals – a tally that could’ve been even greater if not for wayward goalkicking at times that saw him register 41 behinds – but the star key forward is expected to miss the first month of the 2023 season as he continues to recovery from a shoulder reconstruction in early December.
Hayes was predicted to play a huge role in the early part of the season as the Saints looked to cover both the loss of King and their number one ruckman last year Ryder.
Rowan Marshall was set to reclaim the number one mantle and handle the lion’s share of the ruck workload following Ryder’s departure, but the club would’ve hoped Hayes could return from his ACL injury in time to play as a key forward as well as perform the secondary ruckman duties.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon now faces the daunting prospect of starting the season with a dearth of experienced options to fill the team’s key position roles in his second stint as head coach of the club.
Fox Footy takes a look at the key position contenders who could be called upon to try and cover the King-sized hole in the Saints’ attack or provide Marshall assistance in the ruck department.
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THE REDEPLOYED
A permanent move back to the forward line for 15-gamer Cooper Sharman is likely this season – especially following King and Hayes’ injuries – after the 2021 mid-season recruit went in and out of the senior side in his first full year at RSEA Park, with most of the 22-year-old’s time spent down back as the Saints looked for added height.
New recruit Zaine Cordy could be set for a short-term role as a key forward or ruckman considering he has experience filling in there temporarily during his seven seasons at the Western Bulldogs, however, the 26-year-old premiership player was brought to the club to play as a key defender.
Mr. Fix-it Josh Battle is also a possible option for Lyon to temporarily redeploy as a key forward or ruckman with the 24-year-old having previously been used in both roles in his time at the club, although he starred in a permanent role in defence in 2022 so the veteran coach may be reluctant to unsettle his backline.
THE SAVVY VETERAN
Journeyman Tom Campbell represents the only recognised ruckman on the Saints list (excluding Marshall) who has AFL experience and would consider himself a strong chance of lining up in Round 1 to play in tandem with Rowan Marshall. However, unlike the retired Ryder, Campbell is more of your traditional ruckman and not known much for his forward craft or mobility, meaning that he would likely need to play more in the ruck with Marshall to then spend more of his time up forward. Another factor which could work against Campbell is the recent change of head coach with it unknown whether Lyon, who has not coached in the league since August 2019, plans to implement a system or style of play that involves playing two recognised ruckman.
THE BOLTER
One inexperienced player who Lyon may choose to give an extended opportunity in attack to start the season is untried key forward Matthew Allison.
The 20-year-old former Calder Cannon has impressed during his third pre-season at the club, with the mobile key forward a surprise second-place finisher in the Saints’ 3km trial last week.
AFL Media journalist Josh Gabelich has been keeping a close eye on the Saints this pre-season and recently said he has been impressed by the 195cm youngster who finished in eighth place in VFL affiliate Sandringham’s 2022 Best & Fairest award.
“(The Saints) are looking at Matty Allison, they took him at pick 26 only a couple of years ago and they haven’t trialled him yet at AFL level,” Gabelich said on SEN Mornings.
“He’s had a really strong session today (Friday), I know it’s only small sample sizes but he took two really big contested marks and kick two good goals, so he might be something they look to explore across this pre-season and heading into that early stages of next year.”
THE DEBUTANTS
Untried 20-year-old Max Heath and recent draftee Isaac Keeler are both raw athletic ruck/key forward prospects who would appear to still need to time to develop at VFL level and represent the only other ruck or key forward options at Lyon’s disposal.
Standing at an imposing 204cm (the tallest player on the Saints’ list), the strapping young Heath – known affectionately as ‘The Moose’ – is considered St Kilda’s next big man in waiting. The 2021 Mid-Season Rookie Draft selection is known for his physicality both in the air and ground level, with his growing engine furthering both traits on-field. Despite reportedly tracking well ahead of schedule in his development from raw product to emerging ruckman, it is unlikely that Ross Lyon would be willing to throw Heath into the deep end to start the season.
Eighteen-year old Isaac Keeler, who has been likened to recently retired Saint Paddy Ryder, has the capacity to both impact in the ruck and at ground level, with his potential ceiling an appetising prospect in the eyes of recruiters. When Keeler was still available at pick No. 44 in last year’s draft, St Kilda were pleasantly surprised and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to snap up the 198cm South Australian. Keeler was a member of Adelaide’s Next Generation Academy for five years, but was not nominated under NGA rules in the draft just gone to allow the Saints to swoop in. The proud Kokatha, Mirning and Wirangu man is viewed as a potential long-term replacement for Ryder but will no doubt need time to build his tank, grow into his body and develop his skills in the VFL prior to being ready for a call up to the senior team.
With a tough opening schedule across the first seven rounds (Dockers, Dogs, Bombers, Suns, Pies, Blues, Power), no matter which way Ross Lyon and the match committee elect to go, the Saints will need to find a way to score in order to try and stay afloat until King and Hayes can return in order to have a hope of playing finals again in 2023.
