DAVID Armitage began the season with a bang. He booted four goals in amongst 31 disposals against GWS and looked set for big year.
Football doesn’t always go according to plan, however. He struggled with a couple of niggling injuries and was ultimately ruled out of St Kilda’s round nine defeat to the Western Bulldogs. His class and poise was sorely missed in the narrow loss.
He returned against North Melbourne last weekend, collecting 17 disposals but giving away three free-kicks. While he performed solidly in the second half, like many other Saints, he struggled to win the contested ball in the first term.
The 24-year-old had a point to prove on Sunday against West Coast, and he played like it.
“It was a return to a really strong leadership performance [for Armitage],” St Kilda coach Scott Watters said post-game.
“I thought he led really strongly, his first quarter was very good and I do see him as a really strong future leader of the football club.”
The left-footer collected 22 disposals and had three rebound 50s, but it was his work defensively that best exemplified his tremendous leadership capabilities.
Armitage laid 12 tackles, just shy of his career-high 13 in 2009. Time after time he wrestled Scott Selwood and Matthew Priddis down, limiting the in-and-under ball use that has propelled West Coast to one of the best clearance teams in the competition this year.
“He’s battled with a couple of knocks over the past month so he still played but under a little bit of duress,” Watters said. “It was a good performance.”
Watters continues to look ahead to the future with Armitage as a reference point. The injection of youth into the team this season has unearthed a variety of promising players.
The Saints coach isn’t content with the likes of Webster and Wright playing bit-part roles, in 2013 he has committed to exposing as many youngsters as possible to crucial assignments either defensively or in the engine room, even at the expense of proven performers.
“[The back-flank position] is a role I think he (Nick Dal Santo) can play,” he said. “It also gives Jack Newnes, Seb Ross and Josh Saunders an opportunity to spend time in the heat of the midfield … I’m excited to see where they are going to be after three, four, five pre-seasons.”
Armitage turns 25 this week and is entering the prime of his AFL career. His leadership is crucial to St Kilda’s future given his level of experience. He has learnt from the decorated group of older stars, and is teaching the raft of future stars. Along with a handful of others, he is the glue in the middle of two eras.
His high-quality performance on Sunday demonstrated this.
You can follow Tom Morris on Twitter: @tommorris32
