Experienced St Kilda leader Leigh Montagna has ridden the football rollercoaster like few other players inside Linen House Centre, playing in multiple Grand Finals as well as dealing with times at the other end of the spectrum.

Not many can speak with the fervent authority that he can regarding the state of leadership at St Kilda, given what he has seen across his 14-season, 249-game career.

The club’s focus under Alan Richardson in recent years has seen the gulf between the young and the old narrow, with Jack Steven’s inclusion in this year’s leadership group, alongside Jack Newnes and Maverick Weller indicative of this improvement.

On the back of Tuesday’s leadership group announcement, Montagna believes the Saints are in a strong leadership position, with a growing number of young players stepping up to take the club into the future.

“I think we’re getting in a really healthy position with our leadership," Montagna told saints.com.au.

“We’re growing a lot of these younger guys. I think the elevation of Jack Steven is proof of that. I don’t think a few years ago you would have seen Jack Steven in the leadership group. But he’s ready to step up.

“We’ve seen Jack Newnes and Mav Weller, and there’s other guys coming underneath in the young crop of Jack Billings and Jack Lonie and guys like this will be future leaders.

“So part of my role as an elder statesman is to work with these guys and fast track their development.”