Whatever happens to St Kilda’s AFL season, it has already been a massive success for key defenders Jake Carlisle and Nathan Brown.
Carlisle will play his 100th match when the Saints clash with Richmond at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
St Kilda are a game clear in eighth spot and coming off three straight wins, but they have only beaten another top-eight side once this season.
This is already a landmark game for the two clubs and the Riewoldt family because it is a fundraiser for the Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision charity.
The younger sister of Saints star Nick and cousin of Tigers key forward Jack Riewoldt died two years ago from a rare blood disorder.
Given the significance of the night and St Kilda’s finals ambitions this season, they need a big performance against the fourth-placed Tigers.
Carlisle and Brown will have a big say in whether that happens.
St Kilda had to wait a year for Carlisle after they recruited him, given he was among the banned players from the Essendon supplements debacle.
The Saints secured Brown at the end of last year as a restricted free agent.
Both moves are proving inspired recruiting decisions with Carlisle and Brown playing every game this season, giving the Saints a key defensive pairing they badly needed.
“That happened a bit to us last year, that the big blokes got a hold of us,” coach Alan Richardson said.
“(Sean) Dempster had to play out of his weight division, (Sam) Gilbert as well.
“So for those two boys to come in and give us some real confidence that we can get the bigger blokes done, it’s allowed Dylan Roberton to go to another level, Jimmy Webster to go to another level.”
Brown plays deep – he will pick up Jack Riewoldt – while Carlisle has more of an intercept marking role and can also drift forward to effect, kicking two goals in last week’s narrow win over Fremantle.
“He has some real offence to his defence,” Richardson said.
The strong form of Brown and Carlisle has also freed up Gilbert, meaning he can spend more time using his pace to effect in the midfield.
