St Kilda has secured the services of gun midfielder Sebastian Ross until at least the end of 2021.
After winning his first Trevor Barker Award earlier this month, Ross reaffirmed his commitment to the club by signing a three-year contract extension.
The announcement follows the re-signing of senior coach Alan Richardson, important defender Dylan Roberton and utility Blake Acres since the end of the AFL season.
Ross said his decision was simple; fuelled by his love of the club and his excitement for what the future holds.
“The Saints are where I always wanted to be, so the decision was pretty easy,” he said.
“The Saints took a chance on me as a young 18-year-old. There were a few guys picked from our draft so I’ve grown up with those guys for the past six years.”
“It’s a really exciting time, we’ve got a few young stars coming through and I think we’re on the way up.”
Ross said the re-signing of Alan Richardson was another factor in his decision to commit long term.
“That probably weighed in my decision. He (Richardson) is someone who has installed a lot of belief in me to help me become the player I want to be.
“I love playing under him.”
Chief Operating Officer Ameet Bains said Ross had elevated his game to a new level this season.
“Seb was elected to our leadership group this year and relished the responsibility that comes with that,” Bains said.
“He is one of the hardest workers at the football club and someone who sets an example for his teammates to follow both during the week and in his performance on match-day.
“Given his stellar season, I know our fans will be excited to know Seb has re-committed to the club for a further three years.
“We think he can improve even further and be part of a really strong midfield group next year that has already shown at stages what a potent combination they can become.”
The contract extension caps off Ross’ best season in the red white and black, where he amassed more than 30 possessions nine weeks in a row, and finished the season ranked ninth in the league for possessions in the league.
The 24-year-old was named in the 40-man All Australian Squad and placed ninth in the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year Award in 2017.
Ross has played 81 matches since being drafted
