Trade HQ: Check out the big list calls facing St Kilda this off-season
St Kilda has one of the best young ruckmen in the game — Rowan Marshall — and has been linked with Sam Draper. But it’s an experienced big man Brendon Goddard says the Saints should be chasing.
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St Kilda struck out in the race for Dylan Shiel and now the Saints are fronting up again for Stephen Coniglio.
And it is easy to see why. I’ve got some serious questions over the club’s midfield.
With talk Jack Steven could request a trade at the end of the season and a question mark surrounding the likelihood of Dan Hannebery returning to his All-Australian best, I think they need to add two stars in order to compete with the top midfields in the league.
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But that isn’t the only issue in the centre. It’s time to lock down some legitimate ruck depth.
Rowan Marshall has shown plenty of improvement this year and they’ve reportedly put a big offer in front of my old teammate Sam Draper from the Bombers, who is going to be a good player but still needs time to develop and rehab his recent ACL injury.
If that is the long term plan then in the meantime, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make an offer to free agent Todd Goldstein.
That would see a genuine succession plan implemented, with Goldstein the perfect mentor to show Draper and Marshall what it takes to be an elite ruckman.
Paying Draper big money while he rehabs and develops is a risky plan. If it comes off they will look like geniuses. If it doesn’t they will cop it again.
It is disappointing Max King is going to miss most, if not all, of his debut season with injury.
While he is still developing, just his presence on the forward line will help.
The biggest winner will be Tim Membrey, who has punched above his weight for years, often taking the best defender.
Two players I’m watching closely are Nick Coffield and Hunter Clark.
When a club is lucky enough to get two draft picks inside the top 10, as the Saints did in 2017, they’ve got to nail them.
Both youngsters have showed some positive signs of late and the Saints fans will want even more of that in the run home.
JON RALPH BREAKS DOWN ST KILDA’S BIGGEST TRADE QUESTIONS
THREE SAINTS RIVAL RECRUITERS ARE WATCHING:
Jack Steven
Currently working his way back from mental health issues after having been linked to Geelong last summer. Those close to him say that trade hasn’t been raised again this year but at his best there are few better line-breakers in footy.
Luke Dunstan
Has frustrated Saints fans with his disposal at times but has bounced back to record four 100-ranking points games in his last seven. The club is keen to re-sign him given they need to bolster their midfield, not lose key players from it.
Jack Newnes
Out of the side last week after 123 consecutive games, so at this time of the year rivals would have taken note. But of all the lists out there, St Kilda is building rather than attempting to move on young players for picks and has little trade bait.
THREE PLAYERS SAINTS RECRUITERS ARE WATCHING
Adam Tomlinson
Keep your eyes on this deal because the Saints have been keen for a while and Tomlinson is finally an unrestricted free agent. GWS wants him to stay but can’t pay him funny money, which the Saints might for a 194cm utility who often plies his trade on a wing and is a Melbourne boy.
Jack Martin
Need some outside class and finishing skills and are one of the clubs interested in him along with the Dogs and Carlton. Would have to pay up given they aren’t in the premiership window. Is he good enough for the cash they would need to depart with?
Stephen Coniglio
He doesn’t seem keen to go to St Kilda given he is in the flag window himself at GWS but having offered $1.4 million a year for Dylan Shiel, similar cash would be available for the two-way running, goal-kicking midfielder.
RATE THE 2018 TRADE PERIOD
Score: 6/10
This period sure looks better now that Dan Hannebery is running around in Saints colours. They paid him a motza on a long-term deal. But in the end they basically gave up pick 39 for Hannebery, having got that pick from West Coast for Tom Hickey. So that deal stacks up on a pick front, if not salary-wise. Dean Kent was an excellent selection for only pick 65, then they nailed the draft mature-agers. Matt Parker (pick 47), Nick Hind (pick 54) and Callum Wilkie (pick 3 in the rookie draft) all get better by the week. Hannebery was the headline item, but the sum of the parts from this period could be huge win if pick 4 Max King emerges as an AFL star.
WHY CHAMPION DATA LIKES THE SAINTS
The Saints midfield is their biggest strength from a talent point of view, with seven players rating above average or average across the last two seasons
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