Seb Ross finished runner-up in the 2018 Trevor Barker Award, but the star Saints midfielder is not letting individual accolades cloud his primary goal: finals football.

Earmarked as a future captain of the club, Ross's sole focus remains on how his side will respond after a disappointing year.

“I think more than ever it burns in the guys’ guts a little bit,” he told saints.com.au.

“I’m heading into my eighth year and still haven‘t played finals, so I’m more committed and more motivated than ever to get myself right and try to teach the younger boys what it’s all about.

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“I’ve been into the footy club a fair bit, and it’s great to see 10-12 blokes there each day filtering through – I think the guys really know what this group can achieve.

“Yeah, we had a lean year this year, but I know we’re really confident of the year we can have next year.”

But he very nearly pipped eventual winner Jack Steven at the post, in what unfolded as a thrilling last few rounds.

Midway through the count last Wednesday night, it became clear this year’s Trevor Barker Award would come down to a two-horse race.

Steven held a relatively comfortable lead at Round 18, but everyone in the room knew Ross was coming.

The star midfielder stormed home in the dying stages of Season 2018, nipping at his teammate’s heels right up until the final round, before a rampant Steven put in a best-afield performance against North Melbourne to claim the win.

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Ross finished on a total of 175 votes, 18 shy of four-time winner Steven but 16 more than his own 2017 award-winning tally of 159.

The 25-year-old polled in all but four games in 2018, but it was his stellar run home that has Ross primed to explode into 2019.

A career-best 40-disposal, three-goal haul against the Bulldogs in Round 20 was bettered one week later, when the hard on-baller racked up 43 touches against the Bombers.

Ross’ 2018 statistics further confirm he is among the Saints’ most elite, polling first overall in disposals, second in tackles, rebound-50s, inside-50s and clearances, and third in contested possessions.

He backed up his award-winning 2017 by continuing to amass huge numbers, his average 30.1 disposals the eighth-highest in the league.

Rather than rest on his laurels after his Trevor Barker Award-winning 2017 season, Ross got to work.

“I suppose winning it last year made me more determined,” he said.

“You never want to be one of those players that wins something and then falls away, so I probably had one of my biggest off-seasons last year, then I came back and ran PB times.

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“I really wanted to prove to myself and my teammates that I was serious about having real team success.”

Ross has consistently been one of the Saints’ best for two years running, and if he can continue his recent run of form into 2019, big things are coming.