1940s and 1950s
St Kilda won three of the first four games early in the 1940 season and were on top of the ladder after Round 4 before finishing second last. Although there were some prominent players like Harold Bray, Keith Drinan, Peter Bennett and later Neil Roberts, St Kilda were rarely competitive in the 1940s. The 1950 season saw St Kilda win the first five games before fading to finish with eight wins and a draw in ninth place. In 1955, after one of the club's worst seasons, Alan Killigrew was appointed coach. His first action was one of the largest clean-outs of players in the history of any VFL club. It is believed that only 17 players from 1955 played for St Kilda again in 1956, with 11 new players appearing in the club's opening match of 1956.
In 1956 Bill Young became the third St Kilda player to be the league's leading goalkicker in a home and away season with 56 goals.
Read more about this topic: St Kilda Football Club, History