Some of St Kilda's greatest players may still be getting used to the view from the grandstand but coach Ross Lyon reckons he's unearthed a new generation of players who'll keep his team in the premiership hunt.

The Saints did a demolition job on the Power at AAMI Stadium on Friday night and as usual it was the team's big-name players – Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes and Stephen Milne – that took the spotlight.

However Lyon said the continued improvement of the club's emerging squad members had also been vital to the team's unbeaten start to the season.

"Our ability to develop and add to the core has sort of been critical," he said.

"We have lost some champion players from my two years here like Fraser (Gehrig), (Robert) Harvey, Andrew Thompson was still playing, Aaron Hamill was still here and gone and there's been a couple along the way that retired before I got here."

"It was important to find the next six or seven and find them quick. That's been the critical element in Clint Jones and (Robert) Eddy and (Jarryn) Geary and Zac Dawson off the rookie list."

"We've been able to rebuild to the group or add to the group without them dropping away dramatically."

Lyon may have turned the focus onto his young players but it was Lenny Hayes who won the Badcoe Medal for the player who best exemplified the ANZAC spirit at AAMI Stadium. It was just reward for the hard-working Saints who did their own refresher course on what Saturday's public holiday was all about.

Lyon said he had wanted his players to 'honour the occasion'.

"It's about understanding what they meant to our nation, defining our identity and our masculinity in a sense and it wasn't about sweeping victories the ANZACs, it was about fighting against the odds," he said.

"It was that Australian thing about mateship and there's no hierarchy, it was about discipline because of the bonds and the adversity and courage and grace under pressure."

Meanwhile Power coach Mark Williams said he was impressed by the Saints who generated the most pressure and tackling his side had encountered this season.

"I'm think right now that St Kilda are the real deal, they are right up there and Ross has spent some time with them and seems to have them firing really well," Williams said.

"I thought it was outstanding their pressure."