That's what the St Kilda coach thinks of the Canberra product, who is enjoying a breakout season.

Steele's established himself in the Saints midfield as they prepare for a gruelling two trips from Queensland to Adelaide inside six days.

First they face the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval on Monday night and then they return there to face Port Adelaide on Saturday.

Steele's in his fourth season at St Kilda, after moving there from the GWS Giants.

While he's making his name as a run-with player, Ratten felt his young charge could become a ball magnet.

And one that can win the hard footy around the stoppages.

He's averaging 3.3 clearances per game this season, but Ratten saw a future where he could double that to join the AFL's elite.

North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein (7.2 clearances per game) and Carlton midfielder Patrick Cripps (6.8) lead the AFL in that department.

"Where he could develop and keep developing who knows," Ratten said of Steele.

"He might become one of those real inside mids that wins between six and eight clearances a week, and wins a lot of the footy in his own right.

"He's had the ability to play on players and he's done that, but I think through players' careers they develop.

"They start off with running with players and then they develop the opportunity to go and find the footy.

"And what they've learnt from these players, playing on [Nathan] Fyfe and co.

"He's really just applying himself in a trade he wants to become good at.

"Will he run with players? Yes he will. Will he do it by himself and be a freelance midfielder? Yes he will.

"But I think his development and how he's going about it he's really grown in this season, which is really fantastic."

The Victorian coronavirus spike has forced Steele and his St Kilda teammates to relocate to the Sunshine Coast where they'll be based for the indefinite future.

Ratten said they would simply reduce their training load accordingly and instead focus on getting his players mentally prepared for the back-to-back Adelaide trips.

That would also involve his players get reacquainted with crowds with 25,000 set to be allowed through the Adelaide Oval gates.

"It's not really what we're going to do physically on the track it might be more about the mental approach and making sure we get up for games," Ratten said.

"The difference will be going to Adelaide this week and the following week will be the crowd.

"I think it will be the first time the players would have had a decent crowd in front of them.

"Last week was around 700 people now it will be around that 20,000-30,000 so that will look a little bit different for the players, but I think they'll be excited to play in front of an audience again."

AFL ROUND SEVEN

Monday: Adelaide Crows v St Kilda at Adelaide Oval, 7.40pm.