Former Fremantle coach Ross Lyon could make a stunning return to the club he quit to coach the Dockers after St Kilda parted ways with senior coach Brett Ratten following an internal review.

Ratten’s sacking comes just three months after he signed a two-year extension with the Saints, who were in finals contention last season before a second-half fadeout.

The 51-year-old took over St Kilda as caretaker coach midway through 2019 when Alan Richardson was sacked and was a well-liked figure during his three seasons in charge.

6PR sports presenter Paddy Sweeney told Breakfast host Gareth Parker that club powerbrokers believed the Saints were “irrelevant”.