St Kilda coach Scott Watters, left, and captain Nick Riewoldt watch a Denver Broncos training session in Englewood, Colorado. Picture: Dustin Bradford. Source: Getty Images
Lenny Hayes, centre, is working just as hard as every other player at St Kilda pre-season training. Picture: Chris Eastman Source: Herald Sun
LENNY Hayes turns 33 on January 14, is fresh from heart surgery, and is St Kilda's best and fairest player, the Trevor Barker medallist.
Hayes could be forgiven for coasting through what might yet be his final AFL pre-season.
Skip the odd training session, duck out early, and sidestep some of those tiresome meetings and leadership responsibilities.
But not at St Kilda, and not on coach Scott Watters' watch.
Twelve months into his tenure at St Kilda, Watters has issued every player "the challenge".
Watters, speaking on the final day of the club's Colorado training camp, says Hayes must - and will - give more.
As will every player on the Saints list.
"I watched him at a training session today and marvelled at his ability - his one-touch football, the balls coming at him at full pace and the half-volleys. His ball use (is) as exquisite as it normally is," Watters says.
"I don't see any reason why he shouldn't have another strong year like last year.
"The only difference is that last year we eased Lenny back into it, and had him in a mentoring role from a leadership point of view. But the challenge is going back to Lenny this year to put his hand up for the leadership group.
"It is not a discussion I have had with Lenny directly yet, but all our players need to be challenged regardless of age.
"I want Lenny to step up again.
"There are times to step into the leadership group and have a direct impact. One of our themes of the year is looking for the challenge, and just not wanting to accept any sort of mediocrity or complacency.
"So I am challenging all players, if they are 200-gamers or (first-year forward) Tom Lee, to find another level and challenge themselves individually."
If Twitter is a 140character summation, then wrap a bow around those words by Watters, because they encapsulate what St Kilda's new season is all about.
The Saints might have won 12 games last season - and lost five by 13 points or fewer - but you can hear the urgency in Watters' voice.
He might be a man in a hurry, but you get the feeling supporters wouldn't have it any other way.
Those who worried about the prospects of anyone stepping into the vacuum created by Ross Lyon's abrupt departure would have quickly had their fears allayed.
Watters is on his way to transforming a playing list seen to be headed for a cliff, has made minor but successful changes to the team's style of play, and recently took a strong stance on the loss of Brendon Goddard.
Saints' fans are already sold on him, and you can quickly see why.
It is not a discussion I have had with Lenny directly yet, but all our players need to be challenged regardless of age.
Nowhere at St Kilda can you find even a hint the club is resting on its laurels after three Grand Final appearances since 2008.
"There is not a player at the moment who isn't trying to push their own personal boundaries," Watters says.
"We have spoken about how it is easy to become conditioned to acceptable levels of performance.
"The media have their viewpoint on us individually and as a team. All of it is irrelevant.
"It is about them individually challenging themselves daily and as a team, and choosing their own destiny rather than listening to others."
Intentions are one thing, but turning strong words into performances invariably comes down to talent, and that is where the excitement kicks in for the club's football department.
The Saints moved on or lost nine players in the off-season - high-profile midfielder Goddard, the troubled Jason Gram, first-round pick Jason Cripps, and Dean Polo, Brett Peake, Raph Clarke, Sam Crocker, Daniel Archer, and Nicholas Winmar.
In their place came Gold Coast ruckman Tom Hickey, former Fremantle defender Dylan Roberton, WAFL key forward Tom Lee and five young national draft selections.
Goddard will take some replacing but the changes give Watters huge flexibility with his structure.
Now the forward line options include talls Nick Riewoldt, Lee, Rhys Stanley, Justin Koschitzke, Arryn Siposs, Beau Wilkes and, potentially, Sam Gilbert, as well as ground-level terriers Terry Milera, Ahmed Saad, Stephen Milne, and Adam Schneider.
St Kilda couldn't secure West Coast defender Mitch Brown but James Gwilt, 2012 revelation Sean Dempster, Sam Fisher, Tom Simpkin, Jason Blake, Gilbert and Roberton are tall defensive options.
Hickey, Ben McEvoy and, potentially, Koschitzke round out the ruck department, with the midfield strength a given.
"Our list is definitely progressing," Watters says.
"When we look at where we were 12 months ago there were some considerable vulnerabilities and it hadn't been developed for a while.
"So it's a work in progress, but with the players we have brought in we feel there is a starting point for a real foundation which complements our senior players."
You can't digest that statement without considering its relevance to Lyon's list building, but St Kilda wouldn't have revamped its recruiting department and list management if it didn't have issues.
Across every line, there is competition for a spot.
Bottom line: St Kilda won't be falling back on Raph Clarke and his ilk if injuries hit this year.
"The players look at the maths and they look around and they look at the list, and there wouldn't be too many players on our list who would feel comfortable about being in the Round 1 side," Watters says.
"Maybe it hasn't been that tight for a number of years, but it's getting tight."
The chief victim of that selection squeeze might be Koschitzke.
Hickey, McEvoy and Stanley will likely ruck ahead of him and, while Watters isn't so pessimistic about the 30-year-old, he makes no promises.
"Kosi is no different to any player on the list. I am not one that selects on emotion. Players effectively select themselves. Those who are physically prepared and absolutely exhaust every avenue over summer are the ones who show good pre-season form, and they ultimately find their way into the Round 1 side," he says..
"I make no apologies for the competition. It's the game we are in, and it's been a brutally tough and competitive pre-season so far and it will remain that way."
Goddard has three top-four best-and-fairest results (and a ninth) in the past four seasons, yet no one at the club is curled up in a corner struggling to cope with his absence.
This week, Goddard again failed to fully explain his decision to leave, but given the messy circumstances of Luke Ball's departure under Lyon, why did Watters push the money angle?
"I didn't choose to focus on that specific angle. I gave a direct answer to a direct question. I have a lot of time and respect for Brendon. We had, and continue to have, a terrific relationship," Watters says.
"Ultimately, people can speculate on the reasons for (him) wanting to leave and I will leave it to them to speculate. We made what we thought was a really strong offer to Brendon and he made a choice."
The coach won't be wasting time on players who have left, preferring to focus on how his club climbs the ladder.
Watters believes in the club culture, which starts at the top.
It is hard to envisage Riewoldt not being reappointed captain next month.
The Riewoldt of 2011 was grumpy and sullen, battling knee issues and controversy after controversy.
Just married to partner Catherine Heard, Riewoldt enjoyed a better 2012, kicking 47 goals, and seemed to be in a good place mentally.
"We have had some brief discussions but nothing massive yet," Watters says of the captaincy issue.
"We will cross that bridge in January, but what I thought was a real bonus for the club last year was the way Nick led.
"I don't think it was given as much credence as it (deserved). He really got outside of himself, and had a really positive influence on a number of players.
"His understanding of the captaincy showed a really strong progression."
Watters issues challenge to Saints
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Watters issues challenge to Saints
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