AFL Daily: St Kilda offers new contract to Jack Newnes, rolling footy news for Thursday, August 22, 2019
St Kilda has put an contract on the table to wingman Jack Newnes but he could look elsewhere if a rival comes with a better offer. Get the latest on the Saints trade moves and recap all today's footy headlines.
St Kilda has offered wingman Jack Newnes a two-year deal to remain at Moorabbin beyond this season.
The free agent looks vulnerable to a poaching raid from a rival who is prepared to offer the hard-running midfielder a longer contract.
Newnes, 26, has been a solid contributor for the Saints over his 154-game career, averaging 18 possessions across 21 matches this season.
But he finished outside the top 10 of the best-and-fairest last year and a modest two-year deal from the Saints could see Newnes look elsewhere for 2020.
Newnes is a restricted free agent, meaning the Saints have the capacity to match any deal.
At his age, a rival’s offer up to $450,000 per season over three years for Newnes could potentially net the Saints a second-round pick.
St Kilda is keen to bolster its midfield with top-end talent in this year’s exchange period and has targeted Fremantle running machine and triple Hawthorn premiership player Brad Hill.
Hill, 26, is contracted to Fremantle for next year but is weighing up several options to return to Victoria next season.
Greater Western Sydney utility Adam Tomlinson, 26, is also expected to depart the Giants at season’s end after having his attempt to move to St Kilda scuttled two years ago.
As a free agent, Tomlinson would cost the Saints nothing at the trade table.
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His flexibility and running power are his main weapons, with the Oakleigh product able to impact the game in a key position or on the wing.
It means the Saints are set for a busy trade period as the club looks to build around a solid core group of midfielders including A-graders Jack Billings, Jade Gresham and Seb Ross.
Four-time best-and-fairest winner Jack Steven, 29, looks set to pursue a move to Geelong, although he is contracted at Moorabbin for one more season.
The Saints may entertain an offer from Geelong in the vicinity of a second-round draft pick.
Hard-nosed Geelong midfielder Charlie Constable has also been linked to a move to St Kilda and could be part of a Steven swap.
Originally published as AFL Daily: St Kilda offers new contract to Jack Newnes, rolling footy news for Thursday, August 22, 2019