Nick Dal Santo says ageing Saints prepared to take a hit for the club's future St Kilda veteran Nick Dal Santo is prepared to forego immediate success as the club looks to the future. ST Kilda veteran Nick Dal Santo says the club's ageing warriors have acknowledged the need to refresh the club's list, even if that process harms their immediate premiership chances. The Saints' fighting 16-point loss to Sydney in Wellington dealt a fatal blow to their finals hopes, with Collingwood, Geelong and Adelaide (away) to come in the next three weeks. But having blooded two more debutants on Thursday night and yesterday signing New Zealand 16-year-old Joe Baker-Thomas to their international scholarship program, the push for youth is clearly acknowledged. Tom Lee, Brodie Murdoch, Nathan Wright and Josh Saunders have all played their first games this year, with Seb Ross adding to his tally of just one game in 2012. Dal Santo, 29, confirmed yesterday he had a trigger clause which all but guarantees his contract for next season despite officially being listed as a free agent. He won't concede the bid for that elusive premiership is over after a handful of near misses, but knows St Kilda is in the process of renewal given the number of over-30s players. "It is a dangerous word," he said of the 'rebuild' concept. How do I see it? Whether it's called rebuild or whether it's called fresh blood, it's needed. There is no doubt about that. In the past we have had a pretty solid, set team for quite a while and things have changed a bit and that's the way footy goes. At some stage you need new guys to come through and take some responsibility and that's happening. For me personally, I always strive for a premiership, so it doesn't really change my day-to-day actions, or my thoughts on where we are at. St Kilda head of football Chris Pelchen said the club was keen to sign as many as four or five New Zealand kids on the international scholarship scheme, with Baker-Thomas's brother in the Wellington Hurricanes squad. Dal Santo is locked away for next year if he can pass a simple medical, but said he was not concerned about his contract status. I don't really understand what it all means, to be honest. All I know is I have a contract next year if I am able to keep walking and I am feeling OK," he said, I don't understand all that other stuff (about triggers and clauses), but I do have a contract if I am still here. We just need to to improve. We have got a lot of areas we need to work on so we will try to tick them off through the year. Whether we keep losing or win a few along the way, we just have to get better. We have got a nice break which is good, and then we play Collingwood and then we have a longer break the following week (before Carlton).