BRETT Ratten will want his time over again.

As the clock edged towards 9am in the players' auditorium at Moorabbin, part of his thinking crossed to his impending punishment.

Charged with leading one of three weekly pre-training meetings in his new role as St Kilda offence coach, Ratten and his fellow assistants are held to account just like the players.

Even one second over the allotted 30-minute, 8.30am players meeting, and Ratten, Brendon Lade or Henry Playfair are sent to the gym to explain their actions.

Jarryn Geary and his playing group have a choice, to send the assistant on a topless 'gauntlet' where they're slapped by players or a 'snakebite', consisting of push-ups and chin-ups.

For every one minute over, it's one gauntlet or snakebite. Ratten will face three after players exited his address at 9.03am.

It's all part of a fresh approach at St Kilda this summer as the club undertakes change to its gameplan and culture following a disastrous four-win season.

AFL.com.au was invited to spend last Wednesday inside Moorabbin to document life at the Saints this pre-season.

All pictures by Michael Willson, AFL Photos

7am: Arrival

Today marks the lightest session of the week with gruelling days in order for Monday and Friday, but it hasn't stopped players arriving early.

With their first commitment locked for 8.30am, early birds receive strapping and massages as most Melburnians rise for work.

Music is blaring from the gym with second-year midfielder Doulton Langlands, recovering from hamstring surgery, among a group of players completing early-morning rehabilitation.

Daniel McKenzie, who will be one of 21 players 'off legs', has returned from an early morning pool session, while Dan Hannebery and Jack Steven share a joke in the corridor.



Dan Hannebery and Jack Steven share a laugh.





8.10am: Coaches' meeting

Director of coaching Danny Sexton begins proceedings before handing over to Ratten who leads a room with 15 others from across the football department.

Goalkicking guru Ben Dixon is there, while the back row includes several new faces including data analyst Darren O'Shaughnessy.

Others include line and development coaches, head of football Simon Lethlean, list boss James Gallagher, welfare manager Tony Brown, head of performance Matt Hornsby and strength and conditioning manager Josh Low.

Fresh from an educational trip to the Tour Down Under in Adelaide arranged by Gerry Ryan, Hornsby's day will be more about observing, compared to a frantic Monday or Friday.

Ratten runs through a plan of the upcoming 'offence with transition' session on the projector.

Introducing a new drill titled 'crumb, switch and roll', small forwards will be tasked with getting to the fall of a one-on-one contest deep in attacking 50 before defenders are introduced to create a scoring foray the other way.

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Alan Richardson, watching from the middle of the far wall, doesn't miss the opportunity to compare the drill's ideal scenario to an Eddie Betts crumbing goal. Richardson remembers all too well the impact of Betts in his two seasons at Carlton from 2011-2012 serving under Ratten as senior assistant.

After less than 12 minutes of the meeting, attention has already turned to a scorching day of match simulation on Friday with Melbourne temperatures tipped for the early 40s.

Playfair has suggested an earlier start but Hornsby believes there won't be much relief with morning temperatures still set to be brutal.

With a few minutes to spare before players enter the room, thought is given to the training camp at Portsea from Monday February 4 – NFL Super Bowl day.

Richardson is open to moving training to allow a chance to watch, but the players appear to be out of luck.

A heavy running block is slated for the Monday and there are school visits to follow. Revisiting match highlights looks to be the players' only option.

It's a matter that will be discussed with captain Jarryn Geary on behalf of the playing group.

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8.30am: Players' meeting

Dylan Roberton, who is back in full training after last year's heart scare, walks past an auditorium of vacant seats to the far side, up to the second back row and plants himself four seats in.

It's his spot, just like Jack Steven always assumes the chair in the back-right corner.

Others file into the room and first-year players are armed with booklets to scribble notes on what they see.

Draftee Jack Bytel is seated next to Geary, while mature-age recruit Matthew Parker lobs next to star midfielder Dan Hannebery.



Jarryn Geary shares his knowledge with Jack Bytel during the meeting.





Players are asked to spend 30 seconds with the teammate next to them discussing their recollections from yesterday's gameplan meeting, before Darragh Joyce speaks to the group first.

Geary chimes in by insisting the wingmen can't be sucked into the contest and to "not collapse" into the corridor.

Today is the first day of learning the new kick-in structure that will coincide with the 2019 rule changes.

Ratten calls on a "student of the game," Jack Billings, to explain what he sees on the projector.

Billings correctly describes the new rule that will see the man on the mark pushed back from five metres to 10 metres at the top of the goalsquare.

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With the defender now allowed to play on without the need to kick to himself, much of the discussion is centred around Shane Savage and Jimmy Webster taking the honours in 2019.

Josh Bruce emphasises Savage's 60m kick as an added weapon that should be utilised.

Players are asked to consider what constitutes a "good" kick-in.

Key defender Nathan Brown, who has worked down to his career-best skinfolds, insists it involves moving the ball beyond halfway. It's an issue that has plagued the Saints in recent years and something they're not shying away from ahead of 2019.

Ratten pushes the importance of the half-forwards making a contest on the wings and highlights the importance of Tim Membrey. Speaking from his previous experience as Hawthorn assistant defending Saints kick-ins, Ratten reveals Membrey’s marking is a major asset.

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Richardson takes control again as he heads to the laptop to find 90 seconds of vision of Blake Acres. In a new initiative this summer, each meeting looks at two players' strengths to assist with the gameplan, while a younger member of the playing group talks through the vision.

Hunter Clark steps up to the plate to praise Acres' ability to keep his feet, his defensive run, decision-making and potential to cause a mismatch for opponents.

With the rest of the list asked for insights on Acres, Roberton recognises his influence late in tight games.

Moving to Bruce, youngster Nick Coffield highlights the big forward's aggression in the air before Hannebery declares that Bruce's attack in marking contests at training is the best he's seen ahead of the 11th year of his career.

It's strong praise from a player who has made a career of kicking to Lance Franklin, Kurt Tippett and Adam Goodes.

Much like Geary, you can sense the room sits up and takes notice every time Hannebery interjects. It would be a no-brainer to see him added to the leadership group when it's finalised in coming weeks.

When Dan Hannebery speaks, everyone listens.





9.03am: Training

After exiting the auditorium, those still requiring strapping and massages head to the trainers, with the rest flooding the gym for preparation.

Foam rollers and elastic resistance bands are in order for players who will be training, while those 'off legs' move to the indoor basketball court for skills with assistant Adam Skrobalak.



Jack Steven focuses on his skills work in the gym.





Jake Carlisle, on restricted duties managing a back flare-up, spends time shooting the basketball in an attempt to get movement into the troubled area.

Rehab coordinator Marcus Krygger keeps close tabs on players returning from injury, with Langlands monitored closely.

Mindset performance coach Steph Warburton is on hand to chat with players, her role having increased this season following the departure of Emma Murray. After 12 months with the Saints in mind coaching, Murray ceased her tenure due to corporate commitments and a growing client base that included the Richmond Football Club.

Bytel cuts a lonely figure on the AlterG weight-bearing treadmill. After arriving at the Saints with a troublesome back this pre-season, it will be a long grind for the 18-year-old who is up for the challenge.



Jack Bytel has a long road aheads as he recovers from a back injury.





The entire group then converges on the oval for a walk-through of the kick-in model presented less than half an hour earlier in the team meeting.

Brett Ratten leads the discussion, with the set-up to be put into game mode in coming sessions, before they turn to defending opposition kick-ins next week.

The 21 players not participating in the on-field session turn for the gym, where they complete a circuit designed around a deck of cards.

They are split into four groups, taking in turns to select a card where each suit delivers a different exercise matched by the associating number on the card.



Josh Bruce takes great delight in the card he's turned up.





Bruce and David Armitage are among the most vocal and celebrate accordingly when a "double round" comes up with a 'three', ensuring only six reps.

Max King's rehabilitation is being logged meticulously on an iPad, and while he's sitting out of the circuit, the youngster is working on adding weight to his frame by pushing a weight sled with Geary.



Top draft pick Max King records his training details with care.





On the park, Richardson again uses the Eddie Betts comparison when discussing the new drill raised in the earlier meeting with his charges.

Eager to get involved, Hannebery enjoys several kicks before watching intently alongside Lade and departs the track. While he would love to complete every minute of every session, the Saints are taking a realistic approach on a lighter day for a player who suffered a hamstring scare pre-Christmas.

Josh Battle commands a role in defence, the Saints quietly confident that his kicking ability, reading of the play and competitiveness will help him transform from a forward.

The 20-year-old's move will allow Bruce, Paddy McCartin, Membrey and Rowan Marshall – nicknamed 'The Prospect' by teammates – to fight for key forward positions.

As they work through various one-on-one drills, Billings emerges from the gym for a 20-minute session with goalkicking coach Ben Dixon.



Jack Billings takes a shot at goal under Ben Dixon's supervision.





Entering his second year, Dixon will work with a dozen players in 2019, compared to the 32 he tutored last season when the Saints kicked more behinds than goals in 16 of 22 matches.

As the tripods are brought onto the field to monitor techniques, Dixon zeroes in on new Category B rookie Sam Alabakis, who has plenty to learn in his kicking technique.

Tasked with the final set shot of the session, Alabakis has to contend with teammates – and vocal assistant Lade – putting him off. They're successful, as he misses.



There's no shortage of pressure on rookie Sam Alabakis.





11.45am: Lunch and meetings

As the bulk of the group heads upstairs for lunch prepared by The St Kilda Angels, a group of long-serving volunteers, Luke Dunstan and Jack Steele opt for an additional conditioning boxing session in the gym.



Luke Dunstan takes a breather during his boxing session.





Steele, who surged to third in the club's best and fairest last season, is doing everything possible to trim down in a bid to increase his running capacity and develop into an elite midfielder of the competition.

With a wide array of wraps on the menu, Seb Ross takes the chance to thank the volunteers on behalf of the playing group.

The players enjoy a brief period of down time over lunch before heading to their respective line meetings.

Billings and Jade Gresham have moved out of the forwards group to the midfield, where Lade and Skrobalak (stoppages) run proceedings.

In Ratten's forward group with assistant Aaron Hamill, Tim Membrey – nicknamed the Skunk – is the most vocal as they watch West Coast's forward 50 structure from last year's decider.

In a room that also comprises McCartin, Bruce, Jack Lonie, Melbourne recruit Dean Kent, and mature-age draftees Robbie Young and Matthew Parker, Max King soaks up every detail.



Brett Ratten speaks with the forwards in their line meeting.





The rest of the day is taken up by a yoga session downstairs in the club's function room in partial darkness, with a handful of players also required at AFLPA meetings in the afternoon.

Thursday will mark a day off and a chance to recover and refuel before the demands of a match simulation session in 40-degree heat on Friday.

Ed Phillips cuts a lone figure in the change rooms after a session.



