AFL trade: Grant Thomas urges St Kilda to put Max King, Jack Steele and Jack Sinclair on trade table

The Saints have had a disappointing season after their finals run in 2023, and a club great has implored them to get brutal this off-season and put some of its biggest names on the trade table.

Former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas believes Max King, Jack Steele and Jack Sinclair should all be on the trade table this off-season.

The man who took the Saints to consecutive preliminary finals in the mid-2000s says Steele and Sinclair will not be at the peak of their powers by the time the club is contending for a flag again and it is time to make what he calls “premiership decisions”.

Never afraid to speak his mind, Thomas labelled King a “sooky lala” whose “attitude and demeanour are of most concern” in candid comments posted to X on Friday.

Thomas said he would prefer King be shipped to a contending team for “two quality picks” to reignite the Saints’ list build before Tasmania enters the competition.

Asked if he thought Sunday’s game against Carlton should be Tim Membrey’s last, Thomas responded: “Should be”.

Jack Steele was mentioned as a possible trade candidate. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“Another club closer to the holy grail may see benefit but at our stage, development of youngsters (is) better than list clogging,” Thomas wrote.

“I’d definitely trade King for two first round picks. I’d throw Sinclair out there too. It’s imperative we have as many early picks next two years to grow with (the) very good batch we have. Otherwise the gap will once again hurt us.

“Every decision needs to be a premiership decision not a survival decision. Bravery required.”

Thomas believes Richmond is “100 per cent” making the correct call in trading away players to stockpile draft capital and wants St Kilda to do the same.

“I don’t see rebuild. I see it as premiership decisions,” he wrote.

“Is Steele, Membrey, Sinclair etc. going to play in our next premiership … clearly no. They have currency. Get in before Tasmania and have two years of first round picks.”

As it stands, St Kilda owns No. 6 pick at this year’s national draft. That could become either No. 5 or No. 7 depending on how the final round plays out this weekend.

Originally published as AFL trade: Grant Thomas urges St Kilda to put Max King, Jack Steele and Jack Sinclair on trade table