St Kilda’s plan to reunite Ben and Max King means there is no room for Josh Bruce at the Saints

Many footy fans were left surprised when it became clear the Saints wouldn’t offer Josh Bruce a contract past 2020. But it all makes sense now. Operation ‘Sign Ben King’ is officially on.

The Saints are eyeing the King twins. Picture: AAP Images

St Kilda’s eagerness to escort Josh Bruce to a fat new contract at the Western Bulldogs finally makes sense.

And it is all about St Kilda reuniting Ben King with his brother Max at Moorabbin in 2021.

For weeks now St Kilda’s unwillingness to offer Bruce a deal past 2020 has been a head-scratcher given his manful role as the club’s jack-of-all-trades.

He can be a forward line battering ram capable of 50 contested marks.

Replay the 2019 Toyota AFL Grand Final in full on KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial and start streaming instantly >

He has kicked 36 goals or more in every completed season in the past five (he played only three games last year).

And he can pinch-hit in the ruck or even play behind the ball in the frantic final minutes of quarters if that’s what is needed.

St Kilda football boss Simon Lethlean on Monday was adamant the club was desperate to keep Bruce and wanted more than pick 32 for a player who has only just turned 27.

But herein lies the rub.

Josh Bruce could be pushed out of the Saints. Picture: Michael Klein

As Lethlean said, St Kilda wasn’t even considering offering him an extension past 2020 despite all those things in his key position arsenal.

The reason behind that would seem that St Kilda sees Ben King, so impressive in his first season at the Suns, as an excellent chance to fly the coop at the end of next year.

Asked whether the Saints had inquired about securing Ben King this trade period, Lethlean made clear he wasn’t walking out on the Suns this year.

But get set for St Kilda to pull out every trick in the book to get him playing alongside his brother next year.

TRADE LATEST: FOLLOW EVERY DEAL HERE

“Ben is playing at the Gold Coast next year. We speak to his parents a lot because they’re at our club a lot. We speak to Max a lot, so we know where Ben’s at.

“If he decides to not sign and (return) to Victoria next year, I assume we’ll be at the front of the queue for those conversations.

“I think anyone who was going to draft Max would like Ben to join him at some stage because they’re both elite talent, hard-to-find players of that ilk. So if he wants to join Max and we can get that done at some stage that’d be terrific.

Ben King had an impressive debut season. Picture: Getty Images

“We drafted Max for Max, but it’s obviously a romantic thought to have twins playing together. It happens occasionally — if it happens for the Saints it’d be unbelievable.”

The Saints want cover for next year in the forward line given Paddy Ryder will need to help young ruckman Rohan Marshall.

It explains why they are one of a number of clubs going for Port Adelaide’s 199cm swingman Dougal Howard.

But you don’t throw away an excellent key forward like Bruce unless you are playing the long game.

And St Kilda clearly has premiership aspirations with Zak Jones and Brad Hill surging through the midfielder, and a pair of King twins as their new Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke.