Sam Flanders, the St Kilda player.

It was an outcome not many were expecting prior to the 2025 trade period, but the addition of the 24-year old from Fish Creek has Saints fans salivating over the prospect of a new-look, red-hot midfield.

Flanders spoke to the club after arriving at RSEA Park for the first time, the midfielder expressing his excitement at pulling on the red, white and black.

"It's amazing," Flanders told Saints Media.

"It's good to finally get down here, it's been an exciting couple of weeks, so I'm absolutely stoked."

For those unaware with Flanders' game, he knows how to find the footy. A lot of it.

Prior to a back injury restricting his 2025 campaign and taking him out of a full-time midfield role, Flanders averaged a scintillating 30.9 disposals in 2024 in a breakout year.

That season, Flanders claimed the Gold Coast Suns' club record for most disposals in a home and away season, beating out a guy you might not have heard of by the name of Gary Ablett Jr.

Flanders became highly sought after by a number of teams in his home state of Victoria after the Suns' 2025 campaign ended, with St Kilda emerging from the pack as the midfielder's No.1 choice.

"Obviously there was a couple of teams that I met with over the past couple of weeks.

"The biggest attraction for me was the opportunity that Ross and the coaching staff put in front of me.

"That tied in with the list... it's very exciting."

Flanders ability to win the ball in close and dispose of the football in quick fashion is the highlight of his game, distributing to outside runners and moving the ball forward before his opponents have a handle on the game.

His attributes will excite Saints fans, who will be keen to see his distribution at the feet of new ruckman Tom De Koning and out of the contest to superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

"Obviously with Nas re-signing... the inclusions of a couple players like Liam Ryan, Silvagni and TDK it's exciting.

"It's a very good midfield, I think it's one of the better ones in the AFL so it's a good opportunity to compete.

"I just want to play midfield and to get to play alongside some of the best in the competition, it's just really exciting."

He was also able to add another layer to his game in 2025 in his reduced midfield role, adding some lightning forward craft that saw him kicking them from all across the ground, including a goal of the year nominee against Fremantle.

His versatility and undeniable ability creates an exciting buzz around the 2025 recruit, as he looks to take his game and the team to the next level and back to September action in the future.

"Personally it's around the opportunity and the role. I feel like I have a lot of strengths that I can add to this team and take us forward.

"As a team the ultimate goal is a grand final and the fans have been wanting that so if we can go to finals and get to the big one, that'd be great."