It might come as somewhat of a surprise given the Saints have won the past four premierships but their core group is only entering its prime. Koroit coach Chris McLaren is excited about what the likes of Dallas Mooney, Tim Martin, Tim McIntyre, Brett Harrington, Tim McPherson and Jeremy Hausler can achieve. “We had five blokes over 30 in the grand final and Joe (McLaren’s) finished and I am undecided but looking like probably not playing, so we could potentially be down to Michael Darmody, Benny (Goodall) and ‘Box’ (Damian O’Connor) over 30,” he said. “It is probably one thing a lot of people wouldn’t realise with our team – there’s about six or seven guys in there between say 25 and 29. They’re in their prime now. People get a bit of a shock they’re that young.”

Most players their age are dreaming of the ultimate prize but Koroit’s younger generation already boasts premiership success and is hungry for more. Taylor Mulraney, Jayden Watson, Blair McCutcheon, Tom Mugavin, Jayden Whitehead, Liam Hoy, James North, Jarrod Korewha, Levi Nagorcka and Lachie Rhook fit this mould. “There’s 14 players between 18 and 24 who have played in a premiership and I think 12 of them are multiple premiership players, so that is something I get excited about as a coach,” McLaren said.

Koroit will have a new skipper, or skippers, at the helm in 2018. McLaren says 2017 vice-captains Brett Harrington and Jeremy Hausler ooze leadership and there is a posse of others vying for the top honour. “Whether we go for a young leader, someone who is a bit younger than that and might take you through a long period of time, or it’s one of those boys (we’ll wait and see),” McLaren said.

It might not be a spoken about in the inner sanctum but the Saints’ quest for a league record-breaking fifth straight premiership will be a hot topic among fans and rivals. “It is inevitable it’s is going to be something that is brought up and spoken about throughout the year, especially if we have a good start and look like we’re going to be thereabouts,” McLaren said. 

As if the Saints’ list wasn’t the envy of most already, they boast high-calibre teenagers including Josh Chatfield, Connor Hinkley, Ethan McLaren, Lukas Essenwanger and Jack O’Sullivan. McLaren is also buoyant about what Tom Baker, Todd White, George Serra, Frazer Robb and Hamish Gurry, who kicked 14 goals in two games in the under 18s in 2017 before missing the rest of the season with a knee injury, can add to the senior team.