The votes are in, and the AFL Coaches’ Association has named Seb Ross as the most influential player on the ground, rewarding the midfielder’s efforts with a perfect 10.

Several Saints were instrumental in Saturday’s thriller with GWS, but Ross took the game by the scruff of the neck when it mattered.

The 24-year-old delivered the ball deep to Jade Gresham who levelled the scores, before defending grimly as the Giants looked to snatch the lead.

Ross read the tap at the ensuing ruck contest, brushing off the Giants’ best on ground Brett Deledio and winning a crucial clearance to send the ball up the wing with 30 seconds left on the clock.

Still anyone’s game, the responsibility again fell to Ross to mop up from a stoppage and get a clearing kick away, this time setting up Ben Long and Jack Steven to go to work and surge the ball forward in the dying seconds.

The 31-disposal performance was among the midfield gun’s finest, as he worked tirelessly both up and back to urge the Saints onward in the last quarter, well and truly deserving the 10 votes in the 2018 Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award.

Jack Steven's 29 disposals, five tackles and one goal also earned the praise of the committee, with the midfielder picking up four votes in another beastly performance at the coalface.

Other impressive Saints on a nail-biting Saturday afternoon included Ben Long (3), Tom Hickey (2) and Maverick Weller (1).

Only three Giants polled on a day that should’ve gone St Kilda’s way, with Deledio the standout (7), whilst Callan Ward (2) and Phil Davis (1) also played well.