Saints looking to the stars as big season opener awaits

Cal Wilkie has seen St Kilda in the AFL gutter for long enough. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, he's looking at the stars.

The Saints' new co-captain is unafraid to dream big in public, six decades since their only premiership and 16 years after their most recent grand final appearance.

"We just want to play more consistent footy. We've been very inconsistent over the last two years and that's what has been frustrating," Wilkie told AAP.

"Obviously, we want to get back to playing finals and really taking this club hopefully towards their second premiership in the near future.

"You don't want to shy away from it, it's a goal. There's no point hiding that you want to reach for the stars."

Buoyed by last year's massive re-signing of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and their productive recruiting drive, St Kilda enter this season with great expectations.

After bringing in Jack Silvagni, Tom De Koning, Liam Ryan and Sam Flanders, they will certainly be the centre of attention.

All four newcomers will feature in Sunday's opening game against Collingwood, which could draw a record crowd of more than 81,000 for a St Kilda home-and-away game.

"It will be incredible, the biggest crowd I've played in front of ... it will be massive," Wilkie said.

Wanganeen-Milera emerged last year as one of the game's finest players and the pre-season win over Essendon showcased a new feature of his game.

He played as a deep forward to deadly effect, kicking four goals in a eye-catching performance.

Collingwood star Nick Daicos said he also wanted to spend time playing out of the goal square this season.

"Nas" v Nick will be a subplot on Sunday that will be worth the price of admission.

Not everyone is sold on the Saints' player management.

Brisbane's dual premiership coach Chris Fagan sparked some angry reaction from St Kilda figures when he questioned the big money being paid to Wanganeen-Milera and former Carlton player De Koning.

But Wilkie said the players found Fagan's reservations "a bit of a laugh".

"We let the list managers and coaches (have) those media opinions and we just sit back and have a giggle ... take the piss out of Nas and TDK," Wilkie said.

Collingwood, premiers three seasons ago, are coming off a preliminary final appearance last season.

But they have an ageing list and more than one commentator is wondering whether they might struggle this year.

Experienced campaigners Steele Sidebottom, Jordan De Goey, Jack Crisp and Scott Pendlebury are all back after sitting out the Pies' community series match, but captain Darcy Moore and fellow key defender Jeremy Howe will miss with calf injuries.