The AFL recruiting landscape has followed a familiar path for some time now, with powerful clubs such as Geelong, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Sydney managing to snare high-profile talent, while the likes of St Kilda and North Melbourne were left to pick up the scraps.
While that remains the case at the Kangaroos, who have salary cap money to burn but consistently struggle to land any of the sport's bigger names, the winds of change appear to be howling through Moorabbin.
Convincing breakout star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera to remain a Saint and sign a two-year extension was a massive piece of the puzzle.
They now have a verbal commitment from Carlton ruckman Tom De Koning, while Leek Aleer, Cam Mackenzie, Sam Flanders and Liam Ryan are also in the mix to don the red, white and black.
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Outspoken media commentator Kane Cornes is loving the success of St Kilda's approach, going so far as labelling them "the new Geelong" after the Cats' long run of attracting talent such as Jeremy Cameron, Bailey Smith, Ollie Henry and Patrick Dangerfield.
“What I love about this from the Saints is this era is so nice, everyone’s too scared to offend a management group or a club,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
“Everyone treads on eggs shells, they don’t bid on players in the draft because of the father-son.
“There’s a healthy level of nastiness about what St Kilda are doing. I don’t mean nastiness in the true term.
“They’re combative and they’re not afraid to step on toes in order to get the club where it has to be.
“It feels like they are the new Geelong in that they’re into anyone. You’ve got to love it.
“So many clubs sign players willy-nilly, they are putting forward deals they think players deserve.”
AFL reporter Tom Morris added the Saints had tired of watching their competitors make all those big free agent signings and trades.
“Saints are sick of sitting back and seeing other clubs pick up players,” he said.
“If they put noses out of joint then so be it. Saints fans would enjoy that impatience. They have in the past been too patient.
“They want to get better quick and accelerate this as fast as they can.”