No ingesting tradition at St Kilda, says captain Wilkie

Fill-in St Kilda captain Callum Wilkie denies Ross Lyon needed to stamp out a ingesting tradition when he returned to the Saints, however says the brand new coach’s excessive requirements have lifted them to their 4-0 begin.

Former Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd claimed final week Lyon had instantly mounted a ingesting tradition on his return, suggesting gamers would trouble teammates who didn’t wish to drink.

Wilkie admitted the group preferred a drink however denied it was to a problematic degree.

“I am focused on Lloydy’s take, I’ve solely been there for 4 years … I suppose I am fairly new to being within the AFL,” he advised Fox Footy.

“We prefer to get collectively and have a drink when it is applicable, guidelines weren’t actually damaged that we set as a taking part in group.

“We maintain ourselves to a excessive account and if somebody did break a rule, which all the time occurs every so often, we might come down laborious on them.

“Requirements have lifted when it comes to that space, however I did not suppose we had (a ingesting tradition).

Wilkie, who’s main the Saints after captain Jack Steele broke his collarbone, stated on-field requirements had been the larger progress space with inconsistency costing them within the again half of 2022.

The Saints received three of their final 11 video games to droop from their promising 8-3 begin to miss finals, culminating in former coach Brett Ratten’s sacking and ultimately Lyon’s return.

“Final yr we began off very properly … however we might simply have lapses all through video games, week-to-week, we simply wanted to seek out that constant type,” Wilkie stated.

“He is added his method, his spin, his system … however there was a purpose we have been 8-3, it wasn’t by pure luck.

“He positively took a bit of that … we have seen it flourish within the first 4 rounds.”

Lyon left St Kilda in 2011 for an eight-year stint as Fremantle coach, earlier than heading again to Moorabbin to as soon as once more lead the Saints.

Wilkie stated he’d “demanded excellence” from the second he walked within the doorways – precisely what he thinks the membership wanted.

“He is received this aura about him, he walks in and everybody sits up straight, shoulders again, listems, and he calls for excellence from the get-go,” he stated.

“Any small factor he sees that is out of order, he’ll stamp it out proper there.

“It is what we would have liked as a gaggle of boys.”

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