LAST year was a rapid learning curve for Josh Saunders. New to the AFL after he was selected with pick No.43 in the 2012 National Draft, the lightly built half-forward played 10 games including an historic debut against Sydney in Wellington on Anzac Day.

With a second pre-season under his belt, the 19-year-old is committed to further improvement this year under the tutelage of new coach Alan Richardson.

“Richo is a calm bloke. He’s very transparent and very honest,” Saunders told SEN Morning Glory on Friday.

“He won’t necessarily be yelling or screaming but he will tell you what he thinks which I reckon is a great quality in a coach. He’ll sit you down, sometimes in front of the team, and give you a lot of honest feedback – it’s really good.”

Saunders is one of 27 Saints making the trip west this weekend for St Kilda’s final pre-season hit out against Port Adelaide. While elite-level endurance is his greatest attribute, the Geelong-born teenager expects to spend much of the year at the feet of Nick Riewoldt learning the craft.

“I’ve had a massive focus this pre-season of playing more of a small forward role,” he said. “I was a little bit inconsistent playing that role last year so I’ve just focussed on improving their and putting on more forward pressure for the team.”

The one game he did play further up the ground was against the Power in round 17, when Saunders collected a career-high 18 disposals in a narrow defeat at Etihad Stadium.

VIDEO: Courageous Saunders gets crunched 

At the time Port Adelaide, led by head coach Ken Hinkley and his senior assistant Alan Richardson, were marching towards a surprise finals birth. It’s the Power’s recent rise that excites Saunders ahead of the next few years.

“Port Adelaide turned their game around pretty quickly and I think we can do the same thing if we focus on the key points that Richo has put to us.”

“We are just trying to improve our team chemistry [on Saturday] and also obviously continue to prove ourselves to Richo - he’s done an awesome job with us this pre-season,” he said.

“I think if we can get together and play a good four quarters of footy then we will be good to go heading into round one against Melbourne.”

Saunders grew up in Geelong but now lives in Carrum with a Spencer White and Brodie Murdoch. While he tries to get home when he can, he is happy to call the area his new home.

“It’s not bad down there at our elite facility, Linen House Centre. It’s an awesome place to train at… I guess it’s footy first and you have to live close to make it easy for yourself.”

You can follow Tom Morris on Twitter: @tommorris32