THE AFL split round couldn't have come at a better time for St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo.
Not only did it give the former Bendigo Pioneer a chance to catch up with his family at their Strathfieldsaye home last weekend, it also allowed him to talk with his parents about the new contract the Saints had put to him.
The future of the out-of-contract Dal Santo had been one of the big talking points of the AFL in recent weeks, with several clubs, including Collingwood and Essendon, believed to be showing major interest in talking with the silky-smooth 21-year-old.However, Dal Santo signed a new two-year deal with the Saints on Monday night that will tie him to Moorabbin until the end of the 2007 season, by which time he should be in his footballing prime.
Dal Santo's new deal is reported to be worth significantly less than what he could have earned elsewhere.
"I had to get home and see my family, so I was going home to catch up with them and it just happened to be at the same time the contract talks were in place," Dal Santo told ifThe Advertiser yesterday.
"It worked out all right because it's nice to discuss those sorts of things with your family and get a different perspective on things.
"They (his parents) obviously let me make the decision and they have done that all the way through my football career with those important decisions that you have to make.
"They were really supportive and basically said whatever you want to do is your decision and we will support you.
"But they also pointed out how good the club has been to me over the past couple of years and where the club is going to be in the future, which numerous other people have said as well, and that's what I believe, too," he said. "It was quite a simple decision in the end."Dal Santo left the six-week negotiations up to his manager Tom Pretroro.
"That's why we have managers and give them responsibility to deal with those kind of situations, so we don't have to deal with them," he said.
"I'm no different to anyone else; I gave them the power to work out those problems for me and let me play football from week to week and Flying Start has been fantastic for me, in particular Tom Pretroro."Dal Santo, drafted by the Saints from the Pioneers with pick 13 in the 2001 national draft, grew up an Essendon supporter.
Asked if the reported interest the Bombers showed in him made him think twice about his future, Dal Santo answered: "not really, to be honest.""You put so much time and effort into St Kilda that you lose that passion for other clubs pretty much as soon as you get here.
"I don't think you can have any real soft spot for other sides," he said.
There's no doubt the Saints have one of the league's most exciting young lists, with the likes of Dal Santo, captain Nick Riewoldt, Luke Ball, Justin Koschitzke and Matt Maguire leading the brigade of new-generation stars.
"It has been well documented that we are a young club and obviously have a lot of expectation on us, but hopefully we can fulfil that and I really want to be a part of it," Dal Santo said.
"That's why it's terrific I have been able to re-sign."The Saints (6-6) are sitting in ninth position on the ladder heading into Friday night's game against Essendon (4-8) at the Telstra Dome.
It has been an up and down season for the Saints, who have struggled for consistency.
"We are not exactly where we would like to be at the moment, but then again, we are not in the worst position.
"We have just got to focus on the next 10 games and hopefully finals after that," he said.
Dal Santo's superb 2004 season was capped by selection in the Australian International Rules team to play Ireland and the AFL Coaches Association Team of the Year.
He has carried his form of last year into the first half of the 2005 season to the extent where he was the Brownlow Medal favourite after round eightHowever, the humble Dal Santo believes he was "pumped up maybe a little too much and I got a few accolades I probably didn't deserve."But it's easy to see why Dal Santo has received such high applause this year - he is averaging 25.6 possessions a game and rarely have any of his 282 touches of the ball this year been wasted.
"I've had a few games where I've been disappointing and they are probably the ones where you get pumped up for a good performance, when personally I don't think I've gone that well," he said.
On only two occasions this season has Dal Santo failed to collect 20 possessions in a game, which is testament to his consistency.
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