ST KILDA had a relatively quiet draft period with just two local faces joining the club alongside a couple of re-listings and an Irish Cat B rookie. Though the Saints’ picks were late, they made the most of what they did have with a pair of club-tied talents.

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DRAFT HAUL

NATIONAL DRAFT:
Pick 41. Charlie Banfield
Pick 52. Kye Fincher
Pick 58. Ryan Byrnes (Re-listed)

ROOKIE DRAFT:
Pick 5. Patrick Said (Re-listed)
Kobe McDonald (Cat B – Ireland)

>> CLICK each player’s names for full profiles & highlights

St Kilda managed to pull off one of the surprises of night two by bidding on, and receiving West Coast father-son Banfield with Pick 41. The Eagles opted not to match the son of former pick one Drew, enabling safe passage for the hard-running midfielder-forward to head to Moorabbin.

Banfield will build his own legacy in the tri-colours, with his 192cm size and work rate underpinning his game, while his overhead marking is a standout trait. He has areas to work on such as his polish and speed, but has plenty of promise for the future.

The other local prospect selected was local talent Fincher who knows the club well through the Saints’ Next-Generation Academy. A true utility who has played across all three lines, he spent more of his moments in defence where his aerial ability and dare from the back half came to the fore.

He also has some developmental components such as his composure to build upon, but his athletic profile – both in the air and at ground level with his explosive speed – stands out exceptionally well. That is much the same for McDonald who has no exposure to Australian rules, but his natural athletic abilities were evident playing for Country Mayo in Gaelic football.

GRADE: C+

The Saints did not have a lot to play with given how hard they went in trade period. They still did well with the two draft picks they used, with both players terrific overhead and boasting nice athleticism. If they can develop nicely, then St Kilda will have picked a pair of promising cogs of the future.