Saints’ bid to make up for sins of last season

ST KILDA’S disappointing 2018 campaign was an “aberration” that motivated Jarryn Geary to not let go of the reins.

The Saints won just four games last season in a year that Geary described as “tough for everyone”, but one that inspired his desire to take action ahead of a season he is adamant will be a different story.

“We are a better football club and a better team than what we dished up last year,” he said. “For two years we were tracking in the right direction and last year was obviously very disappointing.

“Last year was tough … it was tough for everyone. It inspired me to want to do something about it. It was an ordinary year, and it wouldn’t have been something I wanted to leave on and hand over to someone else and say ‘it’s your responsibility’.

“It’s something I want to do something about ... it’s a bit of a challenge that I want to take on and do something about what we dished up last year.”

Geary, who will captain the Saints for a third season, said the team “let our fans down”.

“We let each other down and we have got to do something about it,” he said.

The team had improved “in all areas”, he said, and that “actions have got to speak louder than our words”.

Geary’s leadership group includes vice-captain Seb Ross and recruit Dan Hannebery, who admitted the nod from his new teammates had come as a surprise after his trade from Sydney after last season.

“I was a bit surprised, to be honest initially,” Hannebery said. “I thought I just wanted to come here and try and do my best to train hard and set a good example in that regard. But it was certainly something that I’m pretty humbled by.”