IN 2009 it was a Matthew Scarlett toe-poke, a Tom Hawkins goal that grazed the post and their own missed chances.

In 2010 it was a dodgy bounce that somehow eluded Stephen Milne with the goal gaping.

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They are the Grand Final memories that will haunt St Kilda fans and players forever. But in 2014, it’s the decisions made at the draft table that burn just as much as those made on the green stuff.

The Saints’ drafting in 2008, 2009 and 2010 has proved so poor it has been referred to as The Lost Years.

media_camera Luke Dunstan lays a strong tackle on Dylan Buckley. Picture: Michael Klein

In that three-year period, 24 new players walked through the doors and only four remain - Farren Ray, Rhys Stanley, Arryn Siposs and Tom Simpkin. While the Saints were dominating, they were killing their future from the inside.

Compare it to the side’s Grand Final opponent in 2009, Geelong, who has 12 of the 16 players it drafted from 2008-2010 still on its list.

Not one player drafted to St Kilda in 2009 is still at the club. The Cats sat at the draft two months after that Grand Final armed with five picks in the top 56 selections. St Kilda had one - Nick Winmar at pick 32 - after it traded away its first and third round picks for Andrew Lovett and Brett Peake.

All five Cats from 2009 - Mitch Duncan, Allen Christensen, Nathan Vardy, Daniel Menzel and Josh Cowan - are still at Simonds Stadium.

media_camera Tom Lynch in action for St Kilda before being traded to Adelaide. Picture: Peter Wallis

None of this is anything St Kilda supporters wouldn’t already know, but only now is the pain truly hitting home.

The task facing new coach Alan Richardson and co. is enormous. In the aftermath of Sunday’s thrashing at the hands of Carlton he offered an insight.

“I had no illusions about the road and the journey that we’d be on ... and we’re as committed to make sure we turn all this around as soon as possible, but it’s going to take a while,” Richardson said.

“We’ve played 40 players, so it’s been a really good opportunity for me to look at the list and see who’s up to it and clearly tonight there was some guys that displayed the sort of footy that suggests they’re not there yet.”

media_camera Dean Polo didn’t last long at St Kilda. Picture: Michael Klein

With the alarm bells ringing loudly over summer, the Saints wheeled and dealed to engineer three picks in the top 20 and this time appear to have struck gold. Jack Billings (No.3) and Luke Dunstan (No.18) have both won Rising Star nominations and played 12 and 13 games respectively. Blake Acres (No.19) was showing promise before being struck down with an ankle injury.

But The Lost Years means it’s likely to get worse before it gets better.

Since sitting 3-2 after Round 5, St Kilda is the worst side in the AFL. The Saints are the only winless side in the last 10 rounds, ranking 18th in the competition in a glut of categories, including disposals (average -55.8 per game), inside 50s (-16.1) and time in forward half (-14min).

Incredibly, in its last 10 games St Kilda has lead for just four per cent of matches.

SHUT THE DOOR ON THE WAY OUT

St Kilda draft picks still on senior list

2008:

Rhys Stanley

Farren Ray

Robert Eddy (Gone)

Andrew McQualter (Gone)

Tom Lynch (Gone)

Nick Heyne (Gone)

Alistair Smith (Gone)

Paul Cahill (Gone)

Colm Begley (Gone)

2009:

Nick Winmar (Gone)

Jesse Smith (Gone)

Adam Pattison (Gone)

Will Johnson (Gone)

Zac Dawson (Gone)

Luke Miles (Gone)

Andrew Lovett (Gone)

Brett Peake (Gone)

2010:

Arryn Siposs

Tom Simpkin

Jamie Cripps (Gone)

Sam Crocker (Gone)

Tom Ledger (Gone)

Ryan Gamble (Gone)

Dean Polo (Gone)