AFL Trade Period day 4: Saints land Liam Ryan but back out of deal for GWS’ Leek Aleer
Leek Aleer will not be going to St Kilda, so what now? After the stunning Saints backflip, two rival clubs with needs down back could be in position to swoop on the key defender.
Leek Aleer is “livid” about being left out in the cold as St Kilda sensationally pulled out of trade talks for the GWS defender after two years of “wining and dining”.
Aleer’s manager Dylan Smith of Centimeter Perfect said the unexpected backflip “came as an absolute shock”.
Saints recruiting boss Greame Allan called Giants counterpart Adrian Caruso on Thursday to back out of negotiations for Aleer, blindsiding the 25 gamer after wooing him for three years, having first registered interest in 2022.
The Giants are happy to keep the out-of-contract tall but St Kilda’s backflip could cost him millions given he was set to be paid about $750,000 over four years at the Saints.
RECAP ALL THE DAY’S TRADE NEWS BELOW
The St Kilda blindside comes as GWS continues the pursuit of Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver, who could move to the Giants for as little as a future third-round pick.
The Saints backed out only minutes before completing a trade for West Coast’s Liam Ryan, using a future second round choice that would almost certainly have been the fulcrum of a deal for Aleer.
Smith told Channel 9 that the Saints “backflipped because they don’t have the picks for him”.
“It’s disappointing. They should be prepared for this after two years,” he said.
“They couldn’t get a future second rounder for him.
“Leek is not happy and to be honest, livid with the situation. Clubs have rung me and said ‘It’s a disgrace what have they done?’ Nobody from the Saints have spoken to him.”
Smith said St Kilda had “been wining and dining him for two years. They loved where he was had and finally turned his head”, with the defender previously happy to ply his trade at GWS.
Rival list bosses raised their eyebrows at the shock Saints move considering their long-standing commitment to Aleer.
It now opens the door for clubs in the market for key defensive support such as the Western Bulldogs or Collingwood to gauge interest in the 195cm Aleer, who has played both as a lockdown and intercepting back.
Only hours after stalling out of the Aleer talks, the Saints completed a trade for West Coast premiership player Liam Ryan.
The Saints secured the goalkicker and a 2027 third-round pick in exchange for a 2026 second-round choice, a pick that likely would have been a key piece in an Aleer trade.
St Kilda does not have a pick before No.50 in the current draft and have rapidly reduced their assets, having on Wednesday traded their first-round pick to Gold Coast for Sam Flanders.
The Saints could secure a first-round pick from Geelong for ruck Rowan Marshall.
With Aleer expected to move to St Kilda and Wade Derksen planned to go to Melbourne before the trade period, the Giants committed to signing delisted Essendon tall back Jayden Laverde as defensive cover.
But now both the Aleer and Derksen deals have fallen over with Melbourne withdrawing from Derksen.
The Giants have picks 14, 35 and 37 in this year’s draft, but want to give a lesser future pick for clearance specialist Oliver.
Melbourne will also pay as much as half of his $1.3 million salary at GWS next year, meaning the Giants will nab Oliver at a significant discount.
Talks between GWS and Melbourne ramped up on Thursday, with Oliver officially nominated the Giants as his next home.
The Demons are eyeing picks seven and eight from Gold Coast in exchange for superstar midfielder Christian Petracca and pick 24.
But the Suns would want more in return from the Demons to part with picks seven and eight in the Petracca deal.
The transaction is expected to be completed next week, but the Demons do not want to pay any of Petracca’s salary.
The Suns could release fringe midfielder Brayden Fiorini to Essendon in exchange for a swap of picks with the Bombers.
The Bombers could give pick 30 to the Suns for Fiorini and 52.
While Fiorini is a free agent, the Bombers would not impact the free agency compensation they gained for losing Sam Draper by securing him in a trade.
Originally published as AFL Trade Period day 4: Saints land Liam Ryan but back out of deal for GWS’ Leek Aleer
Ultimate guide: Every player linked to each club in AFLW trade week
