Alan Richardson says St Kilda will look at trading potential No.1 draft pick this season

ST KILDA will put its first-round draft pick on the table - potentially the No.1 selection - for the right offer, says Alan Richardson.

St Kilda Coach Alan Richardson. Picture: Jason Sammon

ST KILDA will put its first-round draft pick on the negotiating table - potentially the No.1 selection - for the right offer, according to senior coach Alan Richardson.

While Richardson said the return would need to be significant if it was the first pick, he wants the Saints to continue their bold, aggressive approach to list management.

“It is really simple — we will do whatever is best for our footy club,” Richardson said ahead of Sunday’s clash with Western Bulldogs.

“If there was a deal that comes along and offers us what we are after, we will look at it.

“We need to get a big forward into the footy club, and if it works out for us to let go a first-round draft selection and get what we require, then of course we will look at it.”

Paddy McCartin is touted as the No.1 draft pick. Picture: BRIAN BARTLETT

St Kilda is currently last on the ladder and is line to claim its first No. 1 draft pick since claiming Brendon Goddard in 2002.

Asked specifically if the club was prepared to trade a potential pick 1, Richardson said: “Absolutely. It would have to be a pretty exceptional deal, but our attitude is we will look at everything.”

Fremantle was the last club to trade the No. 1 selection, gaining Luke McPharlin and Trent Croad for picks 1, 20 and 36, which the Hawks used on Luke Hodge, Dan Elstone and Sam Mitchell.

The Saints have embarked on a bold approach to list management in recent seasons, trading out Ben McEvoy to Hawthorn and losing free agents Brendon Goddard and Nick Dal Santo to Essendon and North Melbourne.

Richardson refused to draw a line on more changes to the senior list, saying he was determined to look to the long-term to build the club back to a competitive force as soon as possible.

Hawthorn picked up Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge by trading for the No.1 pick.

“We need to be brave,” he said. “Teams and clubs have had success in doing that.

“That means you have to lose a bit of talent — McEvoy and Dal Santo — and that’s unfortunate, and you would rather not do that.

“But we would rather do that aspiring to win than to not do that and just be competitive.”

Richardson would not speak specifics about individuals, but said it was important to St Kilda maintained many of its experienced players to assist with the emerging list.

“We are in a position where senior players are incredibly important to the development of this club,” he said. “We have got some players who are critical to us, but I won’t go into names.”

He insisted he had “significant input” into St Kilda’s list-management strategy, something his predecessor Scott Watters claimed was not the case with him.

Watters, who was sacked last November, spoke out recently, saying he had little say in decisions to allow Goddard, Dal Santo and McEvoy to leave the club.

“In any employment, when someone loses their job, they are going to be disappointed,” Richardson said. “I don’t know the situation.”

“All I know is that I have a significant influence on what we are going to do, and why we are going to do things from a list point of view.”

Originally published as Alan Richardson says St Kilda will look at trading potential No.1 draft pick this season