St Kilda is set to land Brisbane Lions ruckman Billy Longer
ST KILDA is set to secure Brisbane Lions ruckman Billy Longer after he told the Lions he wanted to be traded to the Saints.
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ST KILDA is set to secure Brisbane Lions ruckman Billy Longer after he told the Lions he wanted to be traded to the Saints.
It is a huge win for the Saints as they defended their list overhaul after strong criticism from club legend Barry Breen.
Head of football Chris Pelchen told the Herald Sun the club would open discussions with the Lions about a trade after being informed they were his choice.
Can some please explain how the Dal Santo deal is good for us. No Delaney and draft pick not confirmed yet and only second round at best.
— Barry Breen (@barry_breen) October 18, 2013
The Saints are expected to offer their Nick Dal Santo compensation pick (No. 25) for Longer, an under-utilised ruckman taken at pick eight in the 2011 national draft.
He was first linked to Hawthorn before it acquired St Kilda’s Ben McEvoy, with the Saints beating Essendon as Longer’s preferred destination.
St Kilda will in coming days secure North Melbourne key defender Luke Delaney for the bargain-basement price of pick 77.
And while Greater Western Sydney wants Sam Fisher and a draft pick for key defender Josh Bruce, the Saints are baulking at that price.
They aren’t offering Fisher and will secure Canberra-born tall Bruce in the pre-season draft if GWS does not accept its offer of pick 41.
Breen, who kicked the winning point in the 1966 Grand Final victory, tweeted that the Saints had erred in trading Dal Santo.
“Can some please explain how the Dal Santo deal is good for us? No Delaney and draft pick not confirmed yet and only second round (pick) at best. May as well trade everybody over 100 games. Get rid of Nick R (Riewoldt) as well. Going to be a small leadership group.’’
Breen did not return calls yesterday, but Pelchen said it was simplistic to say the club was only trading its stars.
It will now have picks three, 18 and 19, with the expectation that 25 will be enough to acquire Longer.
“It is simplistic to say we are trading players (who are experienced). We understand the need to restore some balance to our player list both in terms of age and experience. The changes currently being made are done with consideration to a deliberate strategic plan.’’
Clubs like Collingwood do not rate this year’s draft, but Pelchen is backing in his recruiters to plunder three quality players with those early picks.
“Our recruiting staff have identified the top 20 as equal to other years. And while all drafts vary to some degree, we have recognised that ours is a list under transition, there the draft represents a great opportunity for us.”
The Saints rate Longer’s ability to play forward — an opportunity denied him in Brisbane — and say playing Longer and Tom Hickey as dual ruckmen would be an exciting prospect.
They are excited yet another player has nominated them as a club of choice despite continuing controversy over St Kilda’s football department review.
St Kilda has not ruled out recruiting ex-Collingwood ruckman Darren Jolly even if they acquire Longer, but clearly he would be more of an insurance player.
Essendon had met Longer and has offered him an attractive package, but has a ruck log jam given Tom Bellchambers and Paddy Ryder are star ruckmen.
Ex-Hawthorn midfielder Shane Savage, swapped for ruckman Ben McEvoy, will start his pre-season at St Kilda in the first week of November.
