Nick Dal Santo Biography

Nick Dal Santo returns to the Saints as the club's Next Generation Academy coach.

He will also be involved in coaching at the club's father-son academy.

"It’s great to get back and involved with St Kilda, a place where I spent 12 years of my life and still have a lot of close friends from," he said.

"I’d like to help players making their way in football and help mould their journey and teach them some of things I’ve learnt across 15 years in the AFL."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott laughs off speculation that he wanted to leave the club.

It was reported earlier this month Scott had become disenchanted at North late last year after feeling the club had let him wear the bulk of supporter backlash that followed the decision not to renew the contracts of veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo.

The report also stated a Scott representative had contacted the Lions about their senior coaching job, which was then vacant following Justin Leppitsch's sacking at the end of the 2016 home and away season.

"I think I've been pretty clear in my unwavering support of North Melbourne over the journey. The reality is if I wanted to leave I would have left," Scott said.

"I didn't speak to anyone at Brisbane, no one at Brisbane spoke to me and if they spoke to someone else about me, it wasn't relayed to me.

"It makes me laugh that there was speculation at the time, then six months later there's speculation again. Well, it's just absolutely not true."

Nick Dal Santo says former teammate Daniel Wells would be a better player if worked harder on the training track.

"There's no secret he (Wells) could train harder, and probably more consistently. That will give him a better opportunity to play a majority of the games throughout the year," Dal Santo said.

"I recently heard Nathan Buckley say he'd be happy with 15 games – that surprised me, to say that we're happy with our new recruit, one of the best players in the League when he's fit, to be happy with 15 games. That means he's sitting out for seven in the regular season. That shocked me.

"I'd like to see him play the majority and if he needs to have a rest, one or two games, I can understand that."

Nick Dal Santo says he is still coming to terms with his axing from North Melbourne at the end of last season.

"I do think about [the day I was told I would not be offered a new contract] and I'm still sort of going through that process in some ways," he said.

"It was a little bit of a shock and a bit sudden.

"But in saying that, I honestly have no hard feelings. I can completely understand why North Melbourne is heading in that direction.

"It doesn't mean that I agree with it and, to be brutally honest, I didn't agree with it at the time."

Nick Dal Santo officially announces his retirement from football after a 15-year career with St Kilda and North Melbourne.

He had expressed some interest in playing on if the offer was right but said in an Instagram post on Tuesday he would look for a career in coaching, media and the corporate world.

"After 15 years of highs and lows, I can now say that this chapter of my life is behind me. With mixed emotions and lots of processing, I’m excited about what’s ahead," Dal Santo said.

"Combinations of media, coaching and corporate are the areas I’ll focus on going forward. I have learnt so much from my time in the game and those who I’ve encountered on the way, which has put me in a great position to prepare for what’s ahead.

"I’d like to sincerely thank the St. Kilda F.C and North Melbourne F.C, along with all the dedicated supporters, for allowing me to play the game I love for 15 years."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says he regrets announcing during the season that veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo would not be offered contracts for 2017 by the club.

Scott said he stuck by his promise to inform the quartet as soon as possible, but acknowledged he would have waited until the Kangaroos' season had ended before making a public announcement.

"We were very disappointed that it was messaged the way it was but in terms of the players themselves, 'Boomer' [Harvey] in particular, he doesn't feel disrespected in any way, shape or form," Scott said.

"If I had my time again, I still would've told him because I gave him that commitment that I'd tell him, but I probably would've said, 'Mate, it's not the time now to announce it ? You know so you've got some clarity around the situation but for the club's sake, we need to announce this post-season'.

"No doubt the messaging to the members didn't go as we would've liked but in terms of the relationship with the players involved and the honesty and integrity that was shown, I have absolutely no issue with that."

North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey made an emotional farewell after bringing his illustrious 432-game career at the Kangaroos to a close.

The AFL/VFL games record-holder picked up 25 possessions in his club's 62-point elimination final loss to Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Both clubs formed a tunnel to honour Harvey along with fellow departing veterans Drew Petrie, Nick Dal Santo and Michael Firrito as they left the ground, while Harvey also gave a thumbs up to the Kangaroos supporters.

Nick Dal Santo is open to the possibility of playing for his third AFL club in 2017.

At least two clubs are understood to be interested in speaking to him about his intentions, including Collingwood and coach Nathan Buckley.

The 321-game veteran admitted his mindset had changed in the past fortnight after being told by Roos coach Brad Scott he would no longer be required at Arden Street next season.

"Two weeks ago I was hoping to play for North Melbourne at least one more year and see what happens after that," Dal Santo told Channel Nine.

"I’m at least open to the idea that there might be something else out there for me that I didn’t expect to be there two weeks ago.

"By saying that it doesn’t mean (I’ve decided), I haven’t made up my mind, haven’t even considered it because my priority, my time, my energy is going into football at North Melbourne at the moment."

North Melbourne has dropped a bombshell by announcing veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo will not be offered new contracts for 2017.

The news comes with one round left in the home and away season and with the Roos' finals campaign still to play out.

"The club is indebted to these four individuals for their professionalism, leadership, attitude and competitiveness," a statement from the club read.

North Melbourne legend Wayne Carey has backed the Kangaroos' controversial decision to not offer veteran quartet Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo contracts for 2017.

"I know it's sad but unfortunately the club is bigger than any one individual," Carey said.

"Clearly they have not come to this decision lightly. [North Melbourne coach] Brad Scott and others that have sat down and have made it for the benefit of the club for the next 15 or 20 years going forward."

North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw says future considerations dictated the club's need to cull their veteran quartet that included Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo.

"I think we needed a pretty aggressive reset to give our club the best chance of playing in and winning its fifth premiership," Brayshaw said.

"I think we need to get back to the draft, we need to get some really good quality kids into the place.

"We've got some already, but we need to add to that and we would be looking in this next five-year period to have a very strong on-field performance with sustained on-field success."

Nick Dal Santo says he wants to play on in 2017 but admits he could finish the season without knowing if he will be offered a new contract by North Melbourne.

"Absolutely, I want to play next year," Dal Santo told RSN radio.

"I understand the club's position as well, and we are in a unique situation where there's a lot of us over that dangerous age of 30, but by saying that I feel like if you're playing good footy and you give them good evidence, you're a good shot to play."

Andrew Swallow will continue as North Melbourne captain in 2016.

Jack Ziebell will become the club's sole vice-captain after sharing the role with veteran spearhead Drew Petrie for the past four seasons.

Shaun Higgins will also come into the Roos' leadership group in 2016, joining existing members Swallow, Ziebell, Jamie Macmillan and Scott Thompson.

Petrie and fellow veteran Nick Dal Santo exit the club's official leadership team but will have mentoring roles this year.

"The players have probably been the loudest voice in this and in the end it was fairly clear, but that doesn't mean it was easy," North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said.

"While we know Jack has got terrific leadership qualities, this process meant that Andrew was a fairly clear standout for us."

Nick Dal Santo is set for a long lay-off after undergoing surgery for his hamstring.

"We felt that a full recovery from conservative management of this type of injury would be unpredictable and questionable so to ensure a much better outcome for Nick, our medical team opted for surgical intervention," North Melbourne's director of football Geoff Walsh said.

"It's obviously a big loss and Nick is a quality player but it presents an opportunity for one of our other players to step up and fill the void."

Jamie Macmillan is promoted to North Melbourne's leadership group, replacing Daniel Wells who has stepped down.

Andrew Swallow will continue as captain, with Drew Petrie, Jack Ziebell, Nick Dal Santo, Scott Thompson and Sam Gibson set to resume their official leadership roles.

"Primarily what we're trying to build here, like every club, is a really broad range of leaders," Kangaroos coach Brad Scott said.

"We really feel that to give our emerging leaders a chance to come through we need to have succession plan in place."

Nick Dal Santo expects there will be no love lost when he comes up against former St Kilda teammate Brendon Goddard in North Melbourne's elimination final clash with Essendon this Saturday night.

"Brendon and I also lived together for about three and a half years so it's a little bit ironic," Dal Santo said.

"Come the weekend and (given) the way that 'BJ' goes about his football – (he's) very competitive – I don't think there will be any love lost for that two hours, and then post that we can be friends again."

Nick Dal Santo will will play against his former team St Kilda for the first time this Saturday.

"Looking back on it, St Kilda had to make a decision to let me go and I had to accept it and agree to move on," Dal Santo said.

"But I'd like to think after 12 years you've got a really good relationship with the club, and I appreciate everything they've done."

Dal Santo, however, admits he will be emotional when playing against the Saints.

"I'll be a bit emotional, I reckon that's natural," Dal Santo said.

"I've still got some really close mates that I'm looking forward to going up against because I've actually played against them twice a week at training for the last 12 years when we had scrimmage or 'praccy' games.

"It's going to be a little bit weird but that's natural."

Ex-Saints coach Scott Watters says he had little say in the departures of Nick Dal Santo, Ben McEvoy and Brendon Goddard from the club.

"I think it is sad fabric players of your footy club, BJ (Goddard), Dal and certainly Benny aren't there," Watters said.

"I think that can be really dispiriting to a list when you see those players go.

"The final decision on who stays on the list is not the head coach's. I'm sure it is at some clubs, but not at St Kilda."

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott says Nick Dal Santo has impressed with his leadership since crossing over from St Kilda.

"He's not falling into the North Melbourne way of playing, but he's driving the direction of the way we play," Scott said.

"He's in our leadership group and that's not a token appointment to our leadership group, he's driving what we're about all season, all pre-season."

After playing in three Grand Finals over 12 seasons and 260 games with St Kilda, North Melbourne recruit Nick Dal Santo says he wants to share his wealth of experience with his new teammates.

"A lot of guys have asked me already about previous experiences, whether it be personal or previously at St Kilda nearly winning premierships," Dal Santo said.

"They're all learning experiences and that's something that hopefully I can pass on to the North boys … going through finals and showing resilience and bouncing back."

Shinboner of the Century Glenn Archer is spearheading the push for a number of AFL footballers to raise money for Movember.

Archer, a director of Stride Management, has linked up with high-profile clients including Joel Selwood, Tom Rockliff, Nick Dal Santo, Nathan Jones, Alex Fasolo and Jackson Trengove.

So far, the Stride Mo team has raised more than $15,000 and ranks no.18 nationally.

"Getting involved in Movember as an organisation is a great cause regardless of the personal experience we have, but it does serve as a timely reminder that things like prostate cancer can happen to anyone," Archer said.

"When we proposed the concept to our athletes, there was very little hesitation about whether they would be involved. It's great our guys can use their profile in the community to push such an important message"

Nick Dal Santo says moving to North Melbourne from St Kilda was motivated by a need for a fresh start.

"Where St Kilda is at, and where I was at as an individual within that club, has probably led to this point," Dal Santo said.

"I'm turning 30 next year, so I'm looking forward to a change.

"It's something I felt I needed – a new challenge, a new group of guys to get to know and play some football with."

Dal Santo says leaving St Kilda was not an easy decision.

"I'm normally a pretty laid-back sort of guy, but I wasn't sleeping very well for quite a while," he sid.

"I got there when I was 17-years-old, and it's been my whole adult life. Probably 10 to 12 of those guys are my best friends.

"To play 260 games…I'll never forget those times, and I'll hold the good times forever. So to think that I could just walk away and it be an easy decision – it was the complete opposite."

Nick Dal Santo says free agency will eventually become more accepted as part of the AFL's movement of players during the trade period.

"As players, we were so focused on having an option, and a choice of where you want to play your football, and I think that was really important, and I still do," he said.

"I just think that at the moment, free agency is still new and fresh, and it received a lot of attention last year, particularly with Goddard leaving, and I saw first-hand the speculation and media pressure that it puts on a person.

"I think it will become a bit more relaxed in years to come."

Daniel Wells says new North Melbourne recruit Nick Dal Santo will be a valuable asset to the Kangaroos' midfield.

"We've got a pretty young midfield, so Nick will add a bit of experience there and I reckon he'll have a lot of leadership as well," Wells said.

"There were a lot of games we lost (in 2013) when we sort of ran around with our heads chopped off for two or three minutes and that cost us.

"So he'll add to our experience in those tight situations."

Nick Dal Santo signs a new three-year deal with North Melbourne as a free agent.

"We identified Nick as a player we wanted and we are thrilled to have finally landed him," the club's general manager of list and player personnel Cameron Joyce said.

"He will be a valuable addition to our team for many years to come. Nick is an experienced, elite midfielder who will add some more class to our list."

North Melbourne vice captain Drew Petrie says he is hopeful the Kangaroos can acquire the services of Nick Dal Santo after meeting with the Saint midfielder.

"I'm hearing it's out of two, Essendon and us, and strange things have happened in the trade period," Petrie said.

"If we can get him as a free agent that would be nice. If we have to trade to get him it might take a little bit longer."

Nick Dal Santo's manager Tom Petroro says his client has received interest from other clubs but wants to work out a deal with St Kilda first.

"There is some interest from other clubs at the moment," Petroro said.

"We are a little bit reluctant to go too far down that path in that we want to work through Nick's situation with St Kilda first. If we need to address the external clubs then we will at a time when we see fit."

Nick Dal Santo's manager Tom Petroro says his client is weighing up his future with St Kilda and should make a decision soon.

"Nick has been at St Kilda 11 years and has never contemplated life anywhere else but it is more complicated this year," Petroro said.

"He still finished sixth in St Kilda's best and fairest and while clubs need to rebuild, they also need strong role models.

"Because we have talked about it all year, he has prepared for both (scenarios) and in the industry we're in we have to understand that movement can happen."

Nick Dal Santo says he will take up an option which guarantees him a contract for 2014 with the Saints.

"I do intend on staying at the Saints, to make a long story short. I've been there since I was 17 and I don't want to change," Dal Santo said.

"When I came to St Kilda as a 17-year-old, I had the likes of Robert Harvey, Aaron Hamill, Stewart Loewe and Nathan Burke to learn from.

"Now 12 years on that's us senior players trying to pass on the same messages and lessons to the young guys.

"Obviously we're still trying to contribute and play decent football, but it's also important to pass on some messages along the way."

Nick Dal Santo says the thought of leaving the Saints hasn't even crossed his mind.

"I've been there since I was 17. I love the club, I love the boys and it's round nine. I'm in no position and I've got a contract, I'm still in contract, it's not even a thought at this stage," Dal Santo said.

"I'm still in contract, I signed a four-year deal, with a trigger, which basically protects the club.

"It means if I broke my leg, broke my back and or couldn't play, my last year of that contract wouldn't be there."

St Kilda coach Scott Watters says Nick Dal Santo must learn to deal with taggers to get over his average early-season form.

"Dal has to work through the opposition pressure. That's part of the game. He's been through that many times over 12 years. He'll respond," Watters said.

"I haven't said it's a form slump either. I just think he gets quality players – Carrazzo will probably go to him this week and that's another challenge for him to absorb."

Nick Riewoldt will captain St Kilda for an eight successive season under a new leadership structure.

Riewoldt will be joined by Leigh Montagna, Nick Dal Santo, Ben McEvoy, James Gwilt, David Armitage, Sean Dempster and Jarryn Geary in the leadership group after Sam Fisher and Adam Schneider decided to step aside.

Disgraced player agent Ricky Nixon prepares legal action against former clients, including Nick Dal Santo who he claims owes him at least $40,000.

St Kilda coach Scott Watters says Nick Dal Santo must lift his work rate in order to overcome attention from taggers after being restricted to just 10 disposals while under pressure from Hawk Jordan Lewis.

"Good players need to take that challenge head-on," Watters said.

"Yes, you need support from your teammates. Yes, you can play different roles. But ultimately that's got to light a fire inside Nick.

"He needs to work through that. He's a proud individual. He'll be disappointed in the result tonight. He'll address it during the week."

Nick Dal Santo, Justin Koschitzke and Leigh Montagna have been made life members of St Kilda, an honour awarded to players who have played at least 150 games and spent 10 years at the club.

St Kilda midfielder Nick Dal Santo suffers a break in his hand during pre-season training.

"Nick broke two metacarpals at training last week. He had minor surgery but this hasn't stopped him training," a spokesperson from St Kilda said.

"He will however have to miss some ball related activities for the next fortnight."

Sam Fisher has won his second St Kilda best and fairest, defeating Nick Dal Santo by just 3 votes to take out the Trevor Barker award.

A teenage girl releases compomising photos of Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo and Zac Dawson in various states of undress on the internet.

The girl, who is reported to have fallen pregnant with twins to a Saint Kilda player before miscarrying, is defying court orders to cease uploading the pictures and plans to continue uploading several more from her collection.

"It's because I hate the AFL and I hate St Kilda," she said.

"Words can't describe how I feel. I have 19 more photos ... They will be all up by the end of this week. I just want revenge. I want them to know what it's like to have your reputation destroyed."

St Kilda defender Sam Gilbert has apologised to his skipper and teammates caught up in the club's nude photo scandal.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to offer my public apologies to Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo, Zac Dawson and their families as well as the St Kilda Football Club for the distress this may have caused," Gilbert said in a statement.

"In this particular case there has been a significant breach of privacy without my knowledge or consent. I have through this process learnt a very real and harsh lesson of the risks involved by taking photos of this nature, irrespective of where the photos are kept."

The football world is salivating with anticipation, but Saint Nick Dal Santo may not share such enthusiasm about Sunday's heavyweight battle against Geelong.

Playing Geelong has not been an enjoyable experience for Dal Santo during the past two years because of one man - Cameron Ling.

In the past three games between Geelong and St Kilda, Ling has not only done a shutdown role but inflicted pain the other way.

Saint Nick Dal Santo has been the big mover in Brownlow betting, but the punters still think the medal is Gary Ablett's to win.

Influential midfielder Nick Dal Santo continues to lead the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year.

Nick Dal Santo says St Kilda players understand the team's strategy and game plan much better this year than previous years.