Printing out primary application forms for his daughter in-between main training and a club-wide photo op, the kids are always at the front of the queue for Seb Ross.

It isn’t too far off from how the Saints’ fanbase are viewing the side at present: the young’uns of Mitch Owens, Mattaes Phillipou and Anthony Caminiti, among others, are springing to mind well before anything else. And for fair reason.

But spare a thought for the St Kilda staples, like Ross, who have been just as influential in the 5-2 start to the year.

Ross – who turns 30 today – is piecing together yet another consistent season with few headlines, averaging a touch under 26 touches per game from his first six outings, marking his best figures over the same period since his second Best & Fairest year of 2019.

While the young guys have thrived, the seasoned campaigners haven’t been lacking.

“It certainly makes our jobs a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable,” Ross told saints.com.au about St Kilda’s emerging brigade.

“We’re really enjoying it. You mention those younger guys who have really stepped up and once they’re there, you get the energy and lift out of those guys delivering.

“All those guys have rightly so been getting the plaudits for their improvement, but I think all across the board we’ve all had marginal gains across our performance.”

Upon his arrival to St Kilda, Ross Lyon threw a challenge to every single player on the list. The philosophy was simple: if everyone improves as an individual, then you get better as a collective.

The small wins added up. Tom Campbell shed five kilos to aid his mobility and is ready to go at senior level at the drop of a hat, Bradley Hill was posed with the question of whether he could utilise his running ability to greater effect, while Jack Steele was challenged to drop his playing weight by a few kilos.

Ross was given a similar task to Steele, going a touch under last year’s playing weight to help contribute more to the Saints’ run-and-gun game-style.

“Ross (Lyon) with his experience, he knows what buttons to come and push on certain guys and I think across the board everyone’s on a level playing field: you can’t not challenge some and challenge the others,” Ross said.

Ross is helping drive that change, re-joining the club’s leadership group this season after stepping away in 2022 to spend more time with his three children.

Come 2023, and for the first time in a few seasons, the established midfielder was able to spend the bulk of pre-season without any injury interruptions. He got through all of January and February unaffected before a late calf niggle sidelined him for Round 1, but the hard work had already been done.

The extended, injury-free stint on the track and the example he set was the perfect base for him to both re-assert his leadership credentials, which hadn’t tailed off despite his year out of the group.

“I was really humbled to be voted back in by the boys. I’ve loved being back in it,” Ross said.

“I was able to step out for a year, and not really change the way I led at all, but you could sort of have a few ‘informal’ leadership conversations around the team. I learned a lot from being out of the group, so I feel a bit more rounded in that space now.

“I don’t feel like I’m the older guy in the team, but technically I am! I feel like guys like Steeley and Wilks can also lean on me, because they’re in different stages of their career than me and I can offer them a different perspective.

“Although I haven’t been an All-Australian or anything like that, I still can offer Steeley some advice or can see where he’s at in his career because I’ve been at that age and understand what he’s going through.”

Ross will remain a key component of St Kilda’s line-up heading into Sunday’s match against North Melbourne.

It will be one of three consecutive away games for the Saints, with interstate outings against Adelaide and GWS to come in the next fortnight.

“I’m really enjoying this season so far. We’ve learned a lot from last year,” Ross said.

“We were in the same position last year with a lot of wins early, so I know how quickly it can turn around if you don’t stick to the process.

“We’re under no illusions that it’s still really early in the year and there’s a long way to go, but it’s been awesome so far.”