AFL 2022: St Kilda list boss James Gallagher on Jordan De Goey pursuit, plus Hunter Clark, Bradley Hill and Jack Bowes

St Kilda remains in the Jordan De Goey race but the Magpies star’s decision could impact on how the Saints attack the trade period as they try to aggressively improve their list.

Jordan De Goey remains in St Kilda sights as a decision on his future fast approaches. Picture: Michael Klein

Jordan De Goey remains firmly in St Kilda’s sights, with Collingwood’s restricted free agent set to announce this week where he will play next year.

The Saints have long coveted De Goey and, like the Magpies, are offering him a lucrative five-year deal to make the switch to Moorabbin.

St Kilda list boss James Gallagher said the 26-year-old’s decision would determine how the Saints approached the trade period, which officially begins on Monday.

They are “reluctant” to trade contracted young gun Hunter Clark, who is weighing up interest from North Melbourne as he considers a fresh start but could get involved in the Jack Bowes-pick seven sweepstakes.

“We’ve had a number of conversations with Jordan and his management over a few months now,” Gallagher told Trade Radio.

Hunter Clark has interest from rival clubs but is contracted at St Kilda for another season. Picture: Michael Klein

“He’s got a big decision to make and the time’s coming pretty quickly for that decision, so I anticipate in the next two or three days he’ll make that call.

“That will shape a little bit about what we do over the next couple of weeks, but we think he’d be an outstanding fit for our footy club and our footy team.

“He’s an exceptional player, he’s a big-game player and he’s got plenty of footy in front of him, so we think he would work in really well with our group and our club.”

The pursuit of De Goey is part of St Kilda’s goal to bring more elite talent to the club, which is why it plans to hang onto pick nine and is showing interest in Gold Coast’s Bowes package.

Jack Bowes will almost certainly be leaving Gold Coast in the trade period. Picture: Michael Klein

“We’ve got a good list. We’ve got a lot of good players and we’ve got a few at the top end and we think there’s a few others that can emerge from our group that are growing into that,” Gallagher said.

“But our priorities are to improve that real top end of our list and whether that be through trade, free agency or through the draft and we think that Jordan can do that for us.”

Gallagher spoke to Clark, who is overseas with a group of teammates, as recently as Thursday morning and wants to retain the 23-year-old.

“Hunter is under contract with us, he’s incredibly talented, he’s a good lad and we love having him around the club,” he said.

“We would be really reluctant to trade him because, mainly through injury, we haven’t seen the best of him yet.

Bradley Hill appears likely to stay at St Kilda. Picture: Getty Images

“He’s a young player, an emerging player, so he has his best years ahead of him. I’d expect that he’d be with us next year and hopefully for a long time beyond that.”

Bradley Hill is also expected to still be a Saint next season, with Gallagher keen to add a key-position swingman to help take the pressure off the likes of Rowan Marshall and Max King.

Any potential trade for Bowes could be tied in with the Ben Long deal after the latter requested a trade to the Suns, where he accepted a four-year offer.

The Gold Coast midfielder-defender is owed more than $800,000 next year because of deferred payments, so the Suns are keen to shed his salary, but that means another club needs to find a way to accommodate him.

Mason Wood, Tom Highmore, Tom Campbell and category B rookie Jack Peris have all re-signed for 2023.