Fourteen years. That’s how long St Kilda has waited to taste finals success. The Saints finished 14th in 2024 with an 8-15 record, their third consecutive season outside the eight. No other club has invested so consistently in “proven talent” while achieving so little.
Jack Steele earns over $1 million annually as captain. Brad Crouch arrived from Adelaide on $750,000-plus per season. Max King locked in long-term money after one elite year. Yet here they sit: 14th place, wondering what went wrong again.
Ross Lyon returned as coach in 2023 promising immediate improvement. Two seasons later, the Saints have regressed from 9th (2022) to 13th (2023) to 14th (2024). The pattern repeats endlessly—recruit expensive veterans, miss finals, wonder why nothing changes.
Click on any player’s name to view their complete biography and estimated net worth.
| Player Name | Position |
| Jack Higgins | Forward |
| Marcus Windhager | Midfielder |
| Zak Jones | Defender |
| Lance Collard | Forward |
| Tobie Travaglia | Defender |
| Jack Macrae | Midfielder |
| Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera | Defender |
| Brad Hill | Defender |
| Jack Steele | Midfielder |
| Mitch Owens | Forward |
| Hunter Clark | Defender |
| Max King | Forward |
| Ryan Byrnes | Midfielder |
| Liam Stocker | Defender |
| Paddy Dow | Midfielder |
| Dan Butler | Forward |
| Isaac Keeler | Forward |
| Jack Carroll | Midfielder |
| Rowan Marshall | Ruck |
| Dougal Howard | Defender |
| Zaine Cordy | Defender |
| Darcy Wilson | Forward |
| Liam Henry | Midfielder |
| Angus Hastie | Defender |
| Mattaes Phillipou | Forward |
| Alix Tauru | Defender |
| Arie Schoenmaker | Defender |
| James Barrat | Defender |
| Jimmy Webster | Defender |
| Jack Sinclair | Midfielder |
| Hugh Boxshall | Defender |
| Max Hall | Defender |
| Angus McLennan | Defender |
The Million-Dollar Question: Where Does the Money Go?
Jack Steele’s six-year extension through 2027 pays him approximately $6 million total. That’s $950,000-1.05 million annually for a captain who’s never played finals football at St Kilda. The dual Trevor Barker medallist (2020, 2021) averaged 26.8 disposals in 2024, but stats don’t equal wins.
Brad Crouch signed a five-year deal worth roughly $4 million in 2020. Adelaide gladly let him walk as an unrestricted free agent. Four injury-plagued seasons later, he’s managed just 55 games earning approximately $800,000 per appearance. That’s premiership-winning money for part-time availability.
Max King received a long-term extension through 2029 worth approximately $5 million after kicking 57 goals in 2023. Then 2024 happened: 30 goals across 20 games. Injuries derailed his season, but he’s locked in at $700,000-800,000 annually regardless.
Jack Sinclair won the 2024 Trevor Barker Medal and extended through 2028 earning $650,000-750,000 per year. He’s reliable, consistent, and stuck in the same mid-table quicksand as everyone else wearing red, white, and black.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera represents hope. The 22-year-old defender extended through 2030 earning $600,000-700,000 annually. At least he has time to escape the curse.
Three Expensive Mistakes That Define Modern St Kilda
The Brad Crouch Disaster (2020)
St Kilda pounced when Adelaide made Crouch a free agent. They envisioned elite disposal rates (28+ per game at the Crows) transforming their midfield. Instead, they got 55 games across four seasons. Persistent groin and hamstring injuries destroyed any value proposition.
Adelaide received Pick 23 compensation and immediately invested it smarter. St Kilda paid $4 million for a part-time contributor who can’t stay healthy.
The Dan Hannebery Catastrophe (2018)
Before Crouch, St Kilda traded picks 39 and future fourth-rounder to Sydney for premiership midfielder Dan Hannebery. They paid him approximately $800,000 annually. He played 10 games across three seasons before medically retiring.
Two expensive veteran midfielder recruits. Combined cost: $8 million-plus. Combined output: 65 games. Combined finals wins: Zero.
The Max King Early Extension (2023)
King kicked 57 goals in 2023, earning All-Australian selection. St Kilda immediately locked him through 2029 on a mega-deal. One injury-affected season later, doubts creep in. Was 2023 an outlier or sustainable output?
Time will tell, but St Kilda’s history suggests betting early on breakout years rarely pays off.
The Cap Space Illusion
St Kilda operates at approximately $15.8-16.2 million against the $16.49 million soft cap. They’re not cash-strapped. They’re not rebuilding. They’re stuck in AFL purgatory—too expensive to tank, not good enough to contend.
Their top five contracts consume 37-40% of cap space. That’s middle-of-the-pack concentration. Geelong spends 40-45% on veterans and makes Preliminary Finals. St Kilda spends similarly and finishes 14th.
The Saints cleared Dan Hannebery’s medical retirement ($700K) in 2021. They traded Bradley Hill ($650K) to Fremantle in 2023. Both moves created “flexibility.” Both times, St Kilda reinvested in more expensive veterans rather than resetting properly.
Why Essendon’s Failures Look Familiar
Essendon hasn’t won a final since 2004. St Kilda’s drought started in 2010. Both clubs chase the same mirage: expensive external talent will fix fundamental problems.
Essendon recruited Jake Stringer ($850K), extended Zach Merrett ($1.1M), and paid Dyson Heppell ($650K) into his 30s. Result: 13th place, 9-14 record.
St Kilda recruited Brad Crouch ($800K), extended Jack Steele ($1M), and paid veteran recruits premium money. Result: 14th place, 8-15 record.
Both clubs allocate 37-45% of cap to their top players. Both miss finals annually. Both refuse acknowledging the pattern: buying proven talent without elite development infrastructure just creates expensive mediocrity.
Compare this to Brisbane’s approach. The Lions developed academy talent (Ashcroft brothers, Kai Lohmann) on rookie contracts, then supplemented with external stars (Lachie Neale, Joe Daniher). Result: 2024 premiership.
St Kilda and Essendon skip step one, jump to step two, then wonder why nothing works.
FAQs
Why hasn’t St Kilda won a final since 2010?
St Kilda’s 14-year finals win drought stems from repeatedly recruiting expensive veterans (Brad Crouch $800K, Dan Hannebery $800K) without addressing fundamental list deficiencies. The club chases shortcuts rather than patient development, creating perpetual mediocrity despite near-maximum salary cap spending.
How much does Jack Steele earn as St Kilda captain?
Jack Steele earns $950,000-1.05 million annually on his six-year extension through 2027 worth approximately $6 million total. The dual Trevor Barker medallist carries St Kilda’s midfield but has never played finals football for the Saints despite his elite salary.
Was Brad Crouch worth $4 million to St Kilda?
Brad Crouch’s $4 million five-year deal delivered just 55 games across four injury-plagued seasons, costing approximately $800,000 per appearance. Adelaide gladly let him walk as an unrestricted free agent, suggesting they knew something St Kilda didn’t about his durability.
Can Ross Lyon fix St Kilda’s finals drought?
Ross Lyon returned in 2023 promising immediate improvement but St Kilda regressed from 9th (2022) to 13th (2023) to 14th (2024). The club’s fundamental issue isn’t coaching—it’s a broken recruitment model that prioritizes expensive external talent over sustainable list building. Lyon can’t fix that with tactics alone.
