The 2020 St Kilda Football Club season was the 124th in the club's history. Coached by Brett Ratten and captained by Jarryn Geary, they competed in the AFL's 2020 Toyota Premiership Season.
2019 off-season list changes
Retirements and delistings PlayerReasonCareer gamesCareer goalsRefDavid ArmitageRetired16998Billy LongerRetired66 (57 St Kilda, 9 Brisbane)4Lewis PierceDelisted51Sam RoweDelisted100 (1 St Kilda, 99 Carlton)17Bailey RiceDelisted11 -Brandon WhiteDelisted111Robbie YoungDelisted32Jack NewnesDelisted15555Paddy McCartinDelisted3534
Trades The Saints began the 2019 trade period with a significant amount of work to do, following at least four players requesting to join the club. Bradley Hill (Fremantle), Paddy Ryder (Port Adelaide), Dougal Howard (Port Adelaide) and Zak Jones (Sydney) all told their respective clubs of their desire to be traded to the Saints at the end of the 2019 season. The Saints also discussed at trading out four-time best and fairest winner Jack Steven, widely rumoured to desire a move to Geelong for personal reasons, while many in the media reported that Josh Bruce was interested in a trade to the Western Bulldogs. Richmond's Dan Butler and Port Adelaide's Sam Gray have also expressed interest in being traded to the Saints.
The Saints began the trade period holding picks 6, 59, 76 and 82. DateGainedLostTrade partnerRef 10 October 2019Picks 12 and 18 Picks 6 (On-traded to Adelaide, Fischer McAsey) and 59 (Thomas Hutchesson)Greater Western Sydney15 October 2019Dougal Howard Paddy Ryder
Pick 10
2020 4th round pickPicks 12 (Miles Bergman), 18 (Mitch Georgiades) 2020 3rd round pickPort Adelaide16 October 2019Pick 58Jack StevenGeelong16 October 2019Bradley Hill2020 3rd round pickPicks 10 (on-traded to Melbourne, Kysaiah Pickett), 58 2020 2nd and 4th round picks
Blake AcresFremantle16 October 2019Picks 32 and 51 (Ryan Byrnes)Josh BruceWestern Bulldogs16 October 2019Zak Jones Pick 56
2020 4th round pickPick 32 (Elijah Taylor)
2020 3rd round pickSydney Swans16 October 2019Dan ButlerPick 56 (Bigoa Nyuon)Richmond
Free agents On 22 November 2019, the Saints acquired former Geelong ruckman Ryan Abbott as a delisted free-agent.
Draft At the 2019 National Draft on 28 November 2019, the Saints selected Ryan Byrnes (pick 52) and Leo Connolly (Pick 64). At the 2019 Rookie Draft St Kilda used pick five to draft Jack Bell.
2020 squad change summary In:
PlayerReasonBradley HillTradeDougal HowardTradePaddy RyderTradeZak JonesTradeDan ButlerTradeRyan AbbottFree AgentRyan ByrnesDraftLeo ConnollyDraftJack BellRookie Draft
Out: PlayerReasonDavid ArmitageRetiredBilly LongerRetiredLewis PierceDelistedSam RoweDelistedJosh BruceTradeJack StevenTradeBlake AcresTradeBailey RiceDelistedBrandon WhiteDelistedRobbie YoungDelistedJack NewnesDelistedPaddy McCartinDelisted
Pre-season The Saints secured the opportunity to hold opening game of the pre-season Marsh Community Series by hosting the first senior game in more than 25 years at their spiritual home of Moorabbin Oval (currently known as RSEA Park due to naming sponsorship). The Saints' played a practice game a week later, also again the Hawks. The Saints' second pre-season series game saw the team travel to the regional town of Morwell in the La Trobe Valley of East Gippsland in south-eastern Victoria. RdDate and local timeOpponentScores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold)VenueAttendanceHomeAwayResult 1 Thursday 20 February, 7.10 pm 17.9 (111) 13.12 (90) Won by 21 points RSEA Park (H) 8,187 Practice Friday 28 February, 4.30 pm 11.8 (74) 6.12 (48) Lost by 26 points Morwell (A) 3,000 2 Sunday 8 March, 3.50 pm 9.3 (57)10.8 (68)Won by 11 points Morwell (A) 5,341
Regular season
The Saints were scheduled to play a match in Shanghai in June against Port Adelaide, however, ahead of the 2020 season the AFL announced that the game had been moved to Melbourne due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fixture change will see the Saints play the Power at Docklands Stadium in Round 12 on 7 June, as opposed to in Shanghai in Round 11. As the coronavirus situation deteriorated in early March, the AFL determined that no spectators would be permitted to attend games until further notice. On 22 March, at the conclusion of Round 1, the AFL determined to suspend the remainder season until further notice due to the coronavirus situation. In mid-May, the AFL announced that the resumption of the 2020 season would begin on 11 June, with non-contact training to be permitted from the 18th and contact training to be permissible from 25 May.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AFL announced that the 2020 fixture would be reduced from 23 rounds to 17. The first five rounds of the revised 2020 AFL fixture were announced by the AFL on 25 May. Due to COVID-19, players are required to follow strict guidelines and avoid contact with the wider public as part of the conditions set by the government and AFL to allow resumption of the competition. Rounds six and seven are expected to be announced following the conclusion of Round three. On 29 June the AFL announced that the Saints' round 5 game with Carlton was rescheduled from Saturday 4th (at the MCG) to Thursday 2 June (at Docklands). This was due to additional restrictions being placed on Victorian teams flying to Queensland following a spike in Coronavirus cases in Victoria in late June, resulting in the need to again adjust the fixture. On 3 July the AFL announced a significant fixture change along with a relocation of the Saints to a 'hub' in the Queensland region of Noosa, possibly for the remainder of the season. This was due to a deteriorating COVID-19 situation in Victoria. The Saints' revised round six and seven fixtures (against Geelong at the Docklands on the 9th and Port Adelaide on the 19th also at Docklands) were replaced with matches against Fremantle and Adelaide in Queensland and South Australia respectively. The change in fixture coincided with the relocation of all 10 Victorian teams to 'hubs' in Sydney and south-east Queensland. Due to the status of the Saints of a relatively young side, with few players having spouses or children, it was theorised that the temporary relocation would give them an edge over older sides, whose players had been demoralised as a result of having to leave their families behind In order to continue playing. On Monday 13 July, the AFL announced the Round 8 fixture. On 24 July the Saints announced that veteran defender Nathan Brown would leave the team's Queensland hub to return to Melbourne for family reasons. Brown's decision was fully supported by the club with Simon Lethlean saying that "he is such a respected member of our team and the spiritual leader of the connection, culture and standards that we are building here at the Saints. The players and staff love the big fella and we will miss him – but he has made the right call for him and his family, and we are very proud of him for that."
Ladder
Revised 2020 AFL fixture
Fixture as at 14 August 2020
RdDate and local timeOpponentScores (St Kilda's scores indicated in bold)VenueAttendanceLadderHomeAwayResult 1 Sunday 22 March, 1.10pm8.8 (56)7.12 (54)Lost by 2 pointsMarvel Stadium (A) 0 10th 2 Sunday 14 June, 6.05 pm14.4 (88)7.7 (49) Won by 39 pointsMarvel Stadium (H) 06th 3 Saturday 20 June, 4.35 pm12.9 (81)5.7 (37)Lost by 44 pointsMCG (A) 011th4Saturday 27 June, 4.35 pm15.3 (93)10.7 (67)Won by 26 pointsMarvel Stadium (H)07th5Thursday 2 July, 7.40 pm8.7 (55)11.7 (73)Won by 18 pointsMarvel Stadium (A)04th6Saturday 11 July, 12.35pm12.7 (79)11.7 (73)Lost by 6 pointsCarrara (A)6387th7Monday 20 July, 7.10pm8.7 (55)12.6 (78)Won by 23 pointsAdelaide Oval (A)18,1736th8Saturday 25 July, 7.10pm6.8 (44)12.1 (73)Won by 29 pointsAdelaide Oval (A)16,7274th9Saturday 1 August, 5.10pm15.11 (101)6.12 (48)Won by 53 pointsGabba (H)2,9783rd10Thursday 6 August, 8.10pm11.8 (74)12.6 (78)Won by 4 pointsCarrara (A)3,0952nd11Monday 10 August, 6.10pm14.9 (93)4.10 (34)Lost by 59 pointsGabba (A)3,9035th12Sunday 16 August, 3.35pm10.8 (68)5.3 (33)Won by 35 pointsGabba (H)4,6865th13Sunday 23 August, 3.35pm6.14 (50)7.6 (48)Lost by 2 pointsGabba (A)13,7506th14Saturday 29 August, 7.40pm8.4 (52)7.7 (49)Lost by 3 pointsTraeger Park (A)1,9177th15Bye Round7th16Saturday 6 September, 1.05pm11.14 (80)9.12 (66)Won by 14 pointsCarrara (H)2,7406th17Thursday 10 September, 7.10pm6.14 (50)9.11 (65)Lost by 15 pointsGabba (H)1,9257th18Friday 18 September, 7.50pm12.10 (82)3.12 (30)Won by 52 pointsGabba (H)1,5286th Notes: aFrom round 1 to round 5, all matches were played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Original AFL fixture (pre-Covid19)
RoundDate and local timeOpponentVenue1 Sunday 22 March, 1.10 pmNorth MelbourneDocklands (A)2 Sunday 29 March, 3.20 pmWest CoastDocklands (H)3 Sunday 5 April, 3.20 pmRichmondDocklands (H)4Sunday 12 April, 3.20 pmMelbourneDocklands (H)5Sunday 19 April, 4.40 pmGeelongKardinia Park (A)6Sunday 26 April, 4.40 pmAdelaideDocklands (H)7Friday 1 May, 7.50 pmCollingwoodDocklands (A)8Saturday 9 May, 7.25 pmCarltonDocklands (H)9Saturday 16 May, 4.35 pmGWSGiants Stadium (A)10Saturday 23 May, 1.45 pmFremantleDocklands (H)11Bye12Sunday 7 June, 5.40 pmPort AdelaideDocklands (H)13Sunday 13 June, 4.05 pmGold CoastTIO (A)14Sunday 20 June, 1.45 pmEssendonDocklands (A)15Sunday 28 June, 3.20 pmSydneyDocklands (H)16Saturday 4 July, 7.10 pmAdelaideAdelaide Oval (A)17Saturday 11 July, 1.45 pmMelbourneMCG (A)18Saturday 18 July, 7.25 pmWestern BulldogsDocklands (H)19Sunday 26 July, 3.20 pmBrisbaneGabba (A)20Saturday 1 August, 7.25 pmHawthornDocklands (H)21Saturday 8 August, 6.10 pmFremantleOptus Stadium (A)22Saturday 16 August, 1.10 pmGeelongDocklands (H)23Saturday 22 August, TBCCarltonDocklands (A)
2020 Finals Series