SEN Time On host Sam McClure has reported that Jack Billings has been elevated to St Kilda’s leadership group for the 2019 season.
Billings, 23, replaces Dylan Roberton in the five-man leadership team after the defender decided to sit out the rest of the year due to an ongoing heart issue.
The former No.3 draft pick has played 85 games for the Saints and is about to embark on his sixth AFL season.
“They have elevated one of their young stars with 23-year-old Jack Billings coming into the leadership group,” McClure told SEN Afternoons.
“It’s for Dylan Roberton, who has stepped away from the game this season. We hope that he can come back and play more footy, but he (Billings) has been told by the club that they want him to step into that position.
“He’s highly regarded by both the coaching staff and also by his teammates - they are expecting a big year out of him.”
Billings, who comes out of contract at the end of the season, has previously stated his intention to spend more tome through the midfield after playing mostly as a forward throughout his career.
St Kilda kick-start their 2019 campaign against Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.