St Kilda continues to develop as a destination location for Indigenous football stars.

The recruitment of West Australian Liam Ryan to the Saints has been a smooth transition during the current offseason.

The proud Yamatji man told new Saints teammate Mason Wood during an In the Driver's Seat interview — which saw the pair cruise Moorabbin's streets in Melbourne middle-class heartland — that St Kilda's connection with Indigenous players has made the move worthwhile.

While driving, Wood asked Ryan what drew the 29-year-old forward, whose originally from Geraldton, to play for St Kilda.

"The Indigenous boys - I feel I have a pretty good connection with them," Ryan candidly responded.

"But obviously after speaking with (coach) Rossy (Lyon) and the people there, it is what got me over the line.

"I now can I say I feel like it was a pretty good choice I made."

Ryan is set to become the 35th Indigenous man to don the red, white and black panels which date back to Wurundjeri-willam clansman, Jim Wandin, in 1952 - and the 25th Saint, including two AFLW clubmates, to run out in the 21st century.

St Kilda has six First Nations players on its current list after peaking with as many as nine Aboriginal men on its list back in the 2022 season, playing as many as seven in Round 4 against Hawthorn - an AFL record equal with Fremantle.

After spending six weeks at the club, Ryan says he is "most excited" to play alongside Lance Collard, Bradley Hill, Liam Henry, Issac Keeler, Marcus Windhager, but most of all, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

The Narungga and Kokatha man re-signed for a further two years at the end of the 2025 season, ending months of speculation of a possible return to South Australia following a breakout-turned-stellar campaign.

"Everyone would expect this answer but I'm most excited to play with Nas, but I am pretty much excited to play alongside all of the lads," Ryan said.

"It's obviously, a new team, a new style and I am pretty excited just to play with them all at St Kilda."

Almost 12 months ago, the former West Coast goalsneak earned an opportunity to get a taste of football alongside Wanganeen-Milera, as well as Hill, for the Indigenous All-Stars in Perth.

That preseason encounter against Fremantle, which drew a significant 37,865 spectators, raised the imagination of Indigenous supporters for the first time since a similar yet more low-key fixture was held a decade earlier against West Coast.

"It was a bucket list ticked off to play in one of those rare games," Ryan added.

"To play with Bradley and Nas, it was pretty good.

"I always wanted to play alongside them, but all of those Indigenous boys, especially the likes of Bobby Hill and Kosi Pickett was good too."

The interaction with the Saints pair came more than six months before Ryan was traded to St Kilda with one year still remaining on his Eagles' contract ahead of restricted free agency at the end of 2026.

But conversations with Hill, in particular, which firmly put the Saints on Ryan's radar, had the former Dockers' rival "going off his tree with excitement" during the All-Stars camp.

"It was funny because leading up to the game, all us boys had a good connection, and we were always just laughing our heads off every day together," Ryan said.

"I've known Hilly for many years before footy, but also, Liam (Henry) and Lancey (Collard) ... they were always pretty good mates."

Ryan, his partner, Evana, their daughter and twin boys, have moved in with Henry after Collard, who visits their sons, moved out and has taken up residence in Wanganeen-Milera's new home on the back of a hefty $4 million deal.

He comically says Collard has been a bad influence on the six-year-olds as they attempt to take screaming marks on their dad's backs, often having "the wind taken" out on harshly landing in the backyard.

"He gets them going, they like to do all that flying stuff, and they just like to show off for him a bit," Ryan joked.