WATCH LIVE FROM 11.30am AEDT: Saints on Ratten sacking

ST KILDA has conceded the decision to extend Brett Ratten’s contract in July was a mistake, but president Andrew Bassat says a recent review of the club indicated the Saints need “a new style of leadership”.

In news broken exclusively on AFL.com.au on Thursday night, Ratten was dismissed just months after signing a new two-year contract extension in July. 

Just weeks after re-signing Ratten in July, the club also commissioned a review into its football operations, with Bassat on Friday saying that review had shown the club there is “a big gap between where we are now and where we want to be”.

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“(This decision is a) very painful one for the club and incredibly disappointing for Brett and his family,” Bassat said.

CEO Simon Lethlean conceded, in hindsight, the decision to re-sign Ratten during the season was a mistake.

“At mid-year, we were travelling pretty well,” he said.

“It was the right thing for us at the time to support and provide the certainty for Brett and the playing group to pursue the rest of the season with some certainty.

“If you crystal ball that now, maybe in hindsight that’s the wrong decision.”

Simon Lethlean and Brett Ratten during St Kilda’s clash with Fremantle in round 17, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Bassat echoed Lethlean’s sentiments on re-signing Ratten, only to sack him less than 100 days later. 

“We gave Brett assurance at the start of 2022 we would give him clarity mid-year,” Bassat said.

“At the time, the team was winning games and in contention, and we wanted to give Brett all the support he needed to give him the best chance of success and to show that he could be our long-term coach.

“If we as a club have regrets about that in hindsight, we cannot let those regrets get in the way of making the right decision for the future.”

Ratten coached seven games after his contract extension was announced, winning just two.

St Kilda president Andrew Bassat at the launch of the Danny Frawley Centre in March 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

The club would not be drawn on who they have in mind to take over the role, with Lethlean saying he had not spoken to former Saints coach Ross Lyon about the job.

“We know what we want to get, we know the characteristics we’re after and we’re going to go to the market to find it,” he said.

St Kilda registered 11 wins in 2022 to finish in 10th spot, matching their ladder position from the 2021 season.

Ratten’s sacking follows a quiet Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period for the club, which just missed out in its pursuit of Collingwood free agent Jordan De Goey. 

Ratten was in his second stint as a senior coach, having led Carlton from 2007-12 before he was cut by the Blues, where he was a champion midfielder.