Geelong secures Jack Steven for draft pick 58 in bargain deal with St Kilda
Geelong has landed one of the potential bargains of this year’s trade period, with St Kilda granting Jack Steven’s wish to become a Cat for a late draft pick on Wednesday.
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Geelong has landed four-time St Kilda best-and-fairest Jack Steven for a fourth-round draft pick in one of the potential bargains of this year’s trade period.
The Cats agreed a deal with Gold Coast for ruckman Zac Smith on trade deadline day, acquiring pick 58 from the Suns.
They then sent that selection to St Kilda, who had hoped to gain an earlier selection from the Cats for much of the trade period.
“It’s not like a nasty leave or anything, I still love the club,” Steven said.
“It’s come time for me to head back home and look after myself and my family.
“I’d just also like to say if anyone’s feeling down, speak out.”
All the best, Stuv â¤ï¸âšªï¸ðŸ–¤ pic.twitter.com/s9SUkLhfz9
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) October 16, 2019
Saints football boss Simon Lethlean said Steven’s health and wellbeing had always been the club’s priority.
“We would obviously love a player of his calibre to finish his career with the Saints, but it is also important to do what is best for Jack at this stage of his life,” Lethlean said.
“Ultimately, we were comfortable in facilitating a trade that was able to accommodate Jack’s wishes, but also provide the club with a level of compensation that allowed us to move forward in this trade period.
“While it will be difficult for our supporters to see Jack playing for another club, I know they will join with me in thanking him for his contribution over the past 11 years.”
Geelong will give Steven the chance to reignite his career as a top-line midfielder alongside superstars Paddy Dangerfield and Joel Selwood next season.
He has signed a two-year deal and looms as the midfield replacement for new West Coast on-baller Tim Kelly.
Former teammate Leigh Montagna said “it is a steal for the Cats” as Steven would be highly-motivated to help the Cats remain in premiership contention.
The trade is a coup for the Cats as they have landed the four-time best-and-fairest winner without losing any of the four picks (No.14, 24 and 37 and future first-round) they were given by the Eagles for Kelly.
The Cats were determined to protect those selections in any Steven deal so they could maintain their best hand at the national draft in almost two decades.
Steven, 29, has had a difficult year on the personal front but will attempt to regain top physical shape over summer in an attempt to be ready for Round 1.
The 183-gamer can also be used in a forward role, but it is understood the Cats are keen to deploy his explosive pace alongside Dangerfield in the engine room after a big summer.
While it is a bargain-priced pick-up for the Cats, there is also significant goodwill from the Saints who have permitted Steven’s trade request.
He was contracted for next season and was on decent money but had asked the Saints for a fresh start in blue and white for the second year in a row.
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The No. 58 pick the Saints receive for Steven is likely to be part of the deal for Fremantle running machine Brad Hill.
Geelong’s work in the trade period may not yet be finished as list manager Stephen Wells attempts to bundle some of those picks together to jump up the draft order today.
Carlton is one club which could split pick No. 9 and move down the order in talks with rival clubs today about the Tom Papley deal.
Smith was hardly used by the Cats, playing only six senior games over the past two years.
He will return to the Suns where he played between 2011-2015 and will be used as a back-up big man behind Jarrod Witts.
Originally published as Geelong secures Jack Steven for draft pick 58 in bargain deal with St Kilda