Demons have finally found their next CEO; Blues key back to have surgery; North star to fight ban
The process has been extensive, with a large number of potential candidates contacted to determine their interest in the role.
Establishing a training and administration base at Caulfield will be a priority for the new CEO as the club looks to develop a home inside the track.
He will also need to lead cultural change at the club after years of unwanted headlines that led to below-par performances last season and hinder their chances to repeat their premiership success in 2021. The club has not won a final after that drought breaking victory, and has experienced turmoil with key players close to leaving the club at various times.
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry opted not to comment when contacted.
Cuddly Ross no more – Saints boss backs Lyon spray
Jon Pierik
St Kilda chief executive Carl Dilena has taken the rare step of turning the heat on the Saints, and has backed Ross Lyon's decision to shed his cuddly cape.
The Saints have slipped to 13th on the ladder and are under growing pressure to remain in touch with the top eight heading into Friday night's clash with Fremantle at Marvel Stadium.
An impressive three wins from four games to start the season, including a stirring victory over Geelong, has made way for three straight defeats, the latest a lethargic 45-point loss to the Brisbane Lions when Lyon gave his team a verbal bake at quarter-time, and was again vocal in his post-match address.
When it comes to the bigger picture, the Saints have a win-loss record of 27-27 under Lyon, now in his third season of his second stint at the club, with frustration intensifying.
While launching the annual Spud's Game, against Carlton, on Monday, Dilena, a former Fitzroy and North Melbourne player, admitted it was a frustrating time at Moorabbin.
Loading
'It's a bit of a bumpy road, I think. We always knew it would be up and down, you don't have that straight-line, linear progression towards improvement. So you do go through moments like we are, at the moment, where it is a bit frustrating, and you think we are not performing to what we should be,' Dilena said.
'Early in the season, we had some great wins, against Geelong and Port – and that really set the tone. But it also raises the expectations, [and] then you have a down week. We have hit some pretty strong opposition.
'I think we are getting beaten up in the midfield battle, not getting the ball going our way, and that's being reflected in getting some pretty extreme inside-50 counts the last couple of weeks. We have got to turn that around, we have got to start winning the ball, and fixing up our defence, which has been a bit leaky.'
Saturday's loss was the first time since Lyon returned to Moorabbin that the Saints had conceded more than 100 points for three weeks in a row.
Lyon's frustration was evident when he made a bold, early call and subbed off Hugo Garcia, 19, in the second term and replaced him with veteran Zak Jones.
Fan footage later emerged of Lyon giving Garcia and Ryan Byrnes an almighty spray on the bench, particularly towards Garcia.
Loading
Dilena said Lyon was within his rights to have taken aim at Garcia.
'Personally, I would just make a personal comment – I love that aspect,' Dilena said.
'Anyone that has been a parent and has dealt with kids, you can cuddle them and nurture them as much as you like, but occasionally, occasionally, there might be a couple of stern words that go in there as well.
'Ross is an experienced coach. He is just driven to get the absolute best out of our players, and raise the standards of our club. For him, being very tolerant and very cuddly for a while – for him to occasionally come out and give someone a bake, I think that is good.'
Lyon's decision to activate his substitute so early – he later said during a prickly press conference that he 'pulled the sub to get something done' – ultimately meant the Saints were a man short on the interchange when Mason Wood was concussed late in the game.
Injured defender Zaine Cordy, who did not play on Saturday and was not in the team meeting, praised Lyon for showing 'that he cares and wants us to do well'.
'We have got certain expectations, we probably haven't been living up to them,' Cordy, nursing a pectoral injury, said.
While Lyon, a four-time grand final coach, said he knows what the 'promised land' looks like, the Saints are mired in the middle rungs of the ladder.
They have been rebuffed in their attempts to snare established rival talent, including Jacob Weitering, Finn Callaghan, Jordan De Goey, Zach Merrett and Luke Davies-Uniacke.
They have a reported whopping $1.7 million per season deal before Carlton ruckman Tom De Koning, although veteran club recruiters Stephen Silvagni and Graeme Allan have, even internally, attempted to keep their plans a closely guarded secret, apart from acknowledging they have considerable cap space to work with.
Dilena said the Saints would continue to pursue elite talent.
'All clubs, including ourselves, are in the market all the time looking for talent to bring in – we have made no secret of that,' he said.
'We will keep doing what we can to bring as much talent as we can to the club.'
Blues star Cerra banned, North fight Curtis suspension
AAP
Carlton will lose midfielder Adam Cerra for one match, while North Melbourne will head to the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night to challenge a three-game suspension handed to forward Paul Curtis.
Cerra had collected Geelong player Jack Bowes high in the third quarter of Carlton's 18-point win at the MCG on Sunday.
The incident was graded as intentional conduct, low-impact and high contact, resulting in a one-game suspension handed down on Monday.
Carlton teammates George Hewett and Jack Silvagni and Geelong star Jeremy Cameron were handed fines for careless contact with an umpire, while Lachlan Fogarty was handed a financial sanction for tripping.
Meanwhile, Curtis is expected to face the tribunal on Tuesday night to fight his ban for rough conduct.
Curtis tackled Port Adelaide defender Josh Sinn in the second quarter of the Kangaroos' nine-point loss, pinning his opponent's arms from behind.
With Sinn suffering a concussion, Curtis's tackle was graded as severe impact, high contact and careless conduct.
The forward is currently ruled out of the games against Essendon, Brisbane and Richmond.
Silvagni set for surgery
Peter Ryan
Carlton defender Jack Silvagni will have surgery after suffering a broken hand in Sunday's win over Geelong.
The 27-year-old showed courage to play through the injury, which was sustained in the first quarter. He spent time in the rooms receiving treatment before returning to the field to play a crucial role in the win.
His bravery also allowed the Blues to keep their rotations going after they lost Zac Williams to a calf injury at quarter-time.
A competition source, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed Silvagni's injury, with the timeline for his return unclear, although early indications are that he will not be sidelined for an extended period.
Key forward Harry McKay praised Silvagni, who has been a revelation in defence in 2025, after Sunday's match.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Unusual two-for-one Moolap property sells for record price
An unusual two-for-one deal has helped a sprawling residential property in Moolap achieve a record price. The $1.8m sale marks a new chapter for 20 High St, Moolap, where the twin benefits of dual houses attracted a not-for-profit buyer. First National, Golden Plains agent Owen Sharkey said the organisation had 'big plans' to create client accommodation at the 4740sq m corner property. Geelong West cottage thrown a lifeline It currently comprises a renovated, four-bedroom family home and a separate period residence that had been operating as a successful Airbnb. Mr Sharkey said the unconventional property initially proved a tough sell but it's flexibility eventually attracted several potential buyers. 'It just went gangbusters and we ended up having two or three parties fighting for it,' he said. 'We had a lot of people looking at it from an alternative type living arrangement, as in dual families, and there are a lot of properties around there that seem to be taken up by government agencies so we tapped into a few of them to see if they had any interest in the area and, as it turned out, one of them did.' He said the organisation trumped one other group, which saw a chance for a multigenerational base with the parents in one house and younger family members in another. 'I think that's probably going to be something that's exciting properties into the future is those dual occupancy ones where mum and dad can chip in and throw a million bucks into rather than heading off to a nursing home,' he said. 'You are able to leave that wealth creation to the kids down the road.' The renovated two-storey house at the property provides spacious accommodation, with dual living zones, two home offices and a large rumpus room with a wood fire in a converted garage. Granite benchtops and dual Smeg ovens feature in the kitchen, while three of the four bedrooms have modern ensuite bathrooms. Nearby another three-bedroom character home, 'Montreaux on High', had been lovingly restored and renovated. It has its own secure front garden and had been generating an annual holiday let income of $58,500 a year with a 55 per cent vacancy rate. 'It was a very interesting property given its proximity to Geelong and the size of it. You do forget you have that area there in Moolap … it's a really unusual pocket,' Mr Sharkey said. The $1.8m price tag is the most expensive price for a house on a residential block under 2ha in Moolap. The suburb's median house price has lifted slightly to $1.145m over the past year, according to PropTrack data.
News.com.au
7 hours ago
- News.com.au
$130m project to build 195-home village for over-55s downsizing
A new entrant to the growing lend lease community space targeting downsizers has made a start to a $130m Waurn Ponds project. Oliver Hume's ReGen Living has commenced work on the 195-home project at Hams Rd that will feature a $10m clubhouse, dedicated active sports precinct, health and wellness space, and a workshop adjacent to an edible garden and greenhouse hub. The homes will sit within more than 3ha of parkland, including walking and bicycle trails, playgrounds and sporting ovals. 1960s Highton original gives buyer the chance to unlock value ReGen Living general manager Ashley Duster said changing demographics required a new approach to downsizing for people in the over-55 age bracket. Oliver Hume research shows the population aged between 55 and over 85 in Waurn Ponds is forecast to grow 119 per cent by 2046. Already an older population, more people are expected to consider downsizing options. 'This is a true masterplanned community that puts lifestyle first with best-practice design and a financial model that allows buyers to own their home while leasing the land,' Mr Duster said. ReGen Living chose the Waurn Ponds location for its first project due to its proximity to established everyday amenities, such as shopping centres and services that are ready to use now. 'We spent considerable time researching how people over 55 want to live,' Mr Duster said. 'In listening to these needs we have turned land lease living on its head and will deliver a truly innovative community. 'Homes will be priced to allow local downsizers to release funds from the sale of their existing home. For some people, this means money to travel, buying a new car, or helping out the kids.' Lend lease villages are becoming an increasingly competitive space, with operators involved in an arms race of design features to lure customers. Such as the clubhouse which is designed to offer an indoor and outdoor pool, gymnasium, private cinema, his-and-her steam rooms, wine bar, billiards parlour, a co-working space and private dining room. Tennis and pickleball, a golf similar and sports bar pavilion will be features of the active sports precinct. The nearby Lakehouse Wellness and Creative Centre features a yoga and pilates studio, as well as a creative arts hub. A range of two, two-and-a-half and three-bedroom homes with single or double garages are designed for the community, which can accommodate between two and four cars and contain ready-to-move-in inclusions, oversized storage and private outdoor open space. Two-bedroom options at ReGen Living Waurn Ponds are expected to start from around $580,000, with prerelease purchase benefits available for buyers who register before September. The development comes after Levande submitted $70m plans for a 125-unit retirement village at Highton.
Herald Sun
10 hours ago
- Herald Sun
AFL news 2025: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera trade to Crows, false report, Taylor Walker
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's management has shot down a report suggesting the St Kilda star has put a line through joining Adelaide next season. The silky half back is weighing up a chance to go home to South Australia although the Saints remain confident of keeping the out-of-contract gun playmaker. It was reported on Channel 7's Agenda Setters on Monday night Wanganeen-Milera would only consider Port Adelaide - and not the Crows - over a racism incident involving former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker in 2021. Walker apologised and copped a six-match ban for making a deeply offensive comment toward North Adelaide player Robbie Young in 2021. But Wanganeen-Milera's manager Ben Williams from Players' Ink said his client had not ruled out Adelaide, and was still weighing up his future. 'Reports made in the media suggesting that Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has ruled out joining the Adelaide Crows due to comments made by Taylor Walker in 2021 are false,' Williams told this masthead. 'Nasiah is currently considering his future and at this stage, no decisions have been made, and any speculation suggesting otherwise is inaccurate.' Wanganeen-Milera will field offers worth more than $1 million a year to stay at St Kilda or switch clubs. The Saints would target Miles Bergman from Port if he chose to move to the Power for next season.
