ST KILDA had to order more moonboots.

Players were dropping like flies. Every game, a new season-ending injury.

But the Saints kept winning, racking up an impressive streak of six victories in a row. Enough to lock in a finals spot with one game to spare.

After so many middling seasons full of 'almost' moments, St Kilda - a club so famously starved of success - had reached the promised land.

But the players who had done the hard yards in the early years have had to watch on from the sidelines.

Bianca Jakobsson has played 72 games and never played a final, the second-most in the competition. Before Saturday, two West Coast players had waited longer than Jakobsson, but they ticked off that milestone against Carlton while the Saint remains sidelined with a tibia fracture and syndesmosis injury.

"There's no doubt it is hard. I'm a massive competitor and all I've ever wanted is to play finals," Jakobsson told AFL.com.au ahead of Sunday's final.

"It is really, really difficult. But I'm trying to find the silver lining in it all."

An inaugural Saint, Jakobsson joined the program after three seasons at Melbourne and one at Carlton, making her one of the most experienced players on St Kilda's list at the time.

"The five or six of us who have suffered season-ending injuries have all been here since 2020 or 2021 and are key parts of the side's journey and the success we're having in getting into finals," she said.

"We definitely don't want to be sitting on the [sidelines] but we're trying to ride the waves with them and make sure they feel supported, we want them to have belief in themselves when they go out there on game day. Post-game, we're giving them feedback about the good things they did. We want them out there full of belief and confidence.

Across the back half of the season, it felt like a player suffered a season-ending injury nearly every week.

First it was winger Molly McDonald in round six, then forward Ash Richards in round seven, then Jakobsson in round eight. After a brief respite in round nine, the Saints were dealt a double whammy with both Bec Ott and Nicola Xenos done for the year after round 10.

"There was a time where every week there was an injury happening, and it was really tough getting the update and letting the group know that another integral member wouldn't be able to play out the year," Saints footy boss Jessie Mulholland said.

"The calibre of people and what they've meant to the club, like Bianca Jakobsson, Molly McDonald, Bec Ott, these people have been at the club from day dot and have never played in a final, they've played a massive part in getting us to this position and to not be able to have them available for selection on the weekend has been really hard.

"But the connection piece off-field, that's actually driving them and motivating [the team]. They've got some of their best friends who can't take to the field due to injury, and it's actually driving them to play for them, and as sad as that is, it's a really beautiful testament to the group we've got.

"It's an absolute credit to our injured players that show up every day. They put on an absolute brave face and I'm sure they go home behind closed doors and have had a really hard day.

"On the weekend, we'll be playing for those who can't. Each injury that's happened has absolutely broken everyone's heart."

Given the enormity of the occasion, the Saints made the decision to bring every listed player to Adelaide for the elimination final irrespective of whether they were playing or not.

It means inaugural players like Jakobsson and Molly McDonald will be able to experience a taste of the finals atmosphere.

"It's quite bittersweet that we're not able to take to the field this weekend, but I think ultimately you have to put on that brave face and understand it's not an individual sport," McDonald said.

"Unfortunately, that's just football, you do get injuries. Being able to go to Adelaide this week will be an awesome experience for everyone to get behind the girls.

"That's the attitude we've all had, us girls on the sideline, that it's a one-club mentality and we've all contributed in our own ways.

"We talk about it week in, week out, [that we're playing] for not just the players on the field but everyone who has contribute from staff to injured players to emergencies. It takes all of us.

"It's a really cool story that we've been able to adapt and have young girls who have been able to step up and ultimately get us through to finals."

The one-club mentality is most evident in the contingent of injured players who gather for every game, cheering every positive act and bellowing encouragement at their teammates on-field.

At home games at RSEA Park, the exuberance is audible all around the ground, emanating out from the balcony where space is at a premium due to the number of injured limbs and moonboots propped up on plastic chairs.

"It's unfortunate we can't be out there, but I think it shows how passionate we are for the club and the want we have to win," McDonald said.

"The team loves it; they say they hear us and it gets them through the game at times."

One such player is vice-captain Serene Watson, who has so far avoided injury in 2025 and will be one of the 21 Saints players lining up on Sunday.

"We're definitely playing for them every single time," she said.

"It's so important how our injured players have been showing up, they've been such a massive part of our growth and they've shown full belief in what we can do.

"At the Carlton game [in round 10], they were sitting right by our bench and they were so loud and gave us so much energy.

"They mean the world to all of us. They've seriously put their own sorrows aside and put all of their energy into the playing group and how they can help us be better every single week."