Less than a week after securing Tim Membrey for a further two seasons, St Kilda has added the signature of Jade Gresham, with the emerging young midfielder committing to the Saints until at least the end of 2019.

Gresham, 19, finished sixth in the NAB AFL Rising Star award after making his debut against Port Adelaide in Round 1, before playing 18 games in an impressive first season at Linen House Centre.

Playing predominantly as a small forward, intersected with stints through the midfield, Gresham demonstrated his class around goals and his ability to find the ball in congestion.

With his next three years confirmed, Gresham said he was thrilled to secure his future at a club he has loved playing for and being around since he walked in the door at the end of last November.

“I’m really happy to get the contract out of the way and sign for another two years at St Kilda,” Gresham told saints.com.au after arriving back from the club's pre-season camp in New Zealand.

“I’ve loved my time here so far, love being around the club and the boys. I’ve made some really close mates already, so I’m looking forward to the next few years and what the future holds.”

After making such a bright start to his AFL career Gresham is determined to take the next step in 2017, starting by putting a big pre-season in the bank so he can spend more time in the midfield next year; a role he looked increasingly comfortable in as the year progressed.

“Coming into my first year at the club, I didn’t expect too much; I just wanted to earn respect off all the boys and the coaching staff. So to play most of the season I was pretty happy with that. I’m really looking to build on this season in 2017 and improve,” he said.

“My main focus this pre-season is building my tank so I can hopefully spend more time in the midfield next season if the opportunity comes up. I’m also just looking to improve all aspects of my game so I can hopefully cement my spot in the side next season.”

St Kilda returned from a gruelling pre-season training camp on New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday night, which Gresham believes provided the group with an invaluable opportunity to strengthen relationships.

“We just got back from seven days in New Zealand, which was really challenging doing activities you don’t normally do like canoeing, hiking and mountain bike riding,” he said.

“It was really good to get away with all the boys and get to know everyone that little bit better; that was probably the main benefit of the camp, building stronger bonds.”

31 by 31: Some record are made to be broken - Become a member in 2017