Ross Lyon isn't concerned with critics' predictions that St Kilda will slide down the ladder in his second season back at the helm of the AFL club.
Nor is Lyon bothered by talk of pressure on the Saints to back up last year's unexpected surge into their first genuine home final in more than a decade.
Ahead of a tough round-one assignment against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night, Lyon insists he is simply focused on getting the best out of his players.
The 57-year-old has outlined three key areas - efficiency in attack, stoppage work and being more aggressive in defence - for improvement this season.
"Nobody tipped us last year to make the eight, but if I spent my time pondering everyone's summaries about us and predictions, I wouldn't get much work done," Lyon said.
"It's not my job, but it creates great interest.
"I remember driving to round one (last year against) Fremantle. I hadn't coached for three years, I sort of felt some pressure.
"It's always there. If you're an AFL coach, club or player there's always expectation - particularly expectation on effort.
"We pride ourselves on effort and never giving up, and I thought we did that (last year). If that's one of our measures, that will be the aim again."
St Kilda dealt with a horror run of injuries in 2023 and the silver lining was the unearthing of an array of young talent that should be better for the experience.
Mitch Owens, Anthony Caminiti, Mattaes Phillipou, Cooper Sharman, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Marcus Windhager, among others, are all poised to take the next step.
But injuries have already thrown up hurdles again this year, with two-time All-Australian playmaker Jack Sinclair (calf) and key defender Dougal Howard (hamstring) among the front-line selections sidelined this week.
Lyon has backed Zaine Cordy to fill a breach left by Howard as the Saints seek to blunt Geelong's star tall forwards Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron.
"Last time Cordy played and played well," Lyon said of a win over Geelong in August last year.
"We're fortunate to have both (Howard and Cordy). They both bring different strengths, but they're both really good key defenders within our system.
"We're confident that Cordy will stand up."
Cordy and Callum Wilkie, who is Cameron's likely opponent, were named in defence alongside off-season recruit Riley Bonner (Port Adelaide).
Former Fremantle wingman Liam Henry will also play his first game for the Saints, while first-round draft picks Lance Collard and Darcy Wilson will make their AFL debuts.
Geelong will also have a first-gamer when mature-age recruit Shaun Mannagh lines up.
Lyon acknowledged the difficult task facing his side first-up in 2024, with a sell-out crowd of about 40,000 tipped to be on hand as the Cats open the new Joel Selwood Stand at their refurbished Kardinia Park home ground.
"There's nowhere to hide in this competition," Lyon said.
"Really good teams win anywhere - they get on the road and they win, they stand up.
"But it's not even about the winning really. We want to win, but we want to play our brand, our footy and make our supporters proud."
