Fill-in St Kilda captain Callum Wilkie denies Ross Lyon needed to stamp out a consuming 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 consuming tradition on his return, suggesting gamers would trouble teammates who didn’t wish to drink.
Wilkie admitted the group appreciated a drink however denied it was to a problematic degree.
“I’m interested in Lloydy’s take, I’ve only been there for four years … I guess I’m pretty new to being in the AFL,” he instructed Fox Footy.
“We like to get together and have a drink when it’s appropriate, rules weren’t really broken that we set as a playing group.
“We maintain ourselves to a excessive account and if somebody did break a rule, which all the time occurs from time to time, we would come down onerous on them.
“Standards have lifted in terms of that area, but I didn’t think we had (a drinking culture).
Wilkie, who’s leading the Saints after captain Jack Steele broke his collarbone, said on-field standards had been the bigger growth area with inconsistency costing them in the back half of 2022.
The Saints won three of their last 11 games to slump from their promising 8-3 start to miss finals, culminating in former coach Brett Ratten’s sacking and eventually Lyon’s return.
“Last 12 months we began off very nicely … however we would simply have lapses all through video games, week-to-week, we simply wanted to search out that constant kind,” Wilkie mentioned.
“He’s added his strategy, his spin, his system … however there was a motive we had been 8-3, it wasn’t by pure luck.
“He definitely took a piece of that … we’ve seen it flourish in the first four 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 mentioned he’d “demanded excellence” from the second he walked within the doorways – precisely what he thinks the membership wanted.
“He’s got this aura about him, he walks in and everyone sits up straight, shoulders back, listems, and he demands excellence from the get-go,” he mentioned.
“Any small thing he sees that’s out of order, he’ll stamp it out right there.
“It’s what we wanted as a gaggle of boys.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
