St Kilda veteran Sam Gilbert hopes injured midfielder Leigh Montagna doesn't join the star-studded crop of retirees and plays on next year.
Eight superstars, including Nick Riewoldt, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Matt Priddis, have already called time on their decorated careers.
Gilbert hopes the calibre of departing players doesn't entice Montagna to pull the pin.
"I hope it's not the last we see of him. Joey [Montagna] is one of our best leaders at the club. I get so much out of Joey every week," Gilbert told ESPN.
"From a players' perspective, I hope he's here next year, but I can't really speculate on what's going to happen there."
Montagna seriously injured his hamstring last month and could be sidelined for as long as eight weeks.
And given the Saints' finals aspirations are all but dashed following their 24-point loss to Melbourne, the footy world may not be given the opportunity to send off the 33-year-old.
Gilbert said the team was disappointed at the weekend to relinquish control of its finals destiny.
"We've no longer got finals in our control. We've got to rely on other matches to get there," he said. "We're very disappointed, but Melbourne played well and they deserved to win."
The veteran defender is optimistic about the club's future, casting similarities between the current crop of youngsters with the Saints' Grand Final teams of 2009 and 2010.
"We're getting there. We've got our young players developing into important roles, like Josh Bruce and Tim Membrey. So hopefully next year or at the back-end of this year we can really develop those players and we can turn into the side that we were back then," he told ESPN.
"Once they get there I think they can surpass the 2009 and '10 sides."
Gilbert is out of contract at the end of the season, and despite only two games remain in the home and away season, he says he's in "no hurry" to put pen to paper.
"I'm just chatting away. I'm in no hurry. I'm sure the club's in no hurry. But we'll just let that unfold when it unfolds," he said.