Clayton Oliver, James Worpel, Sam Flanders and the list moves that could fast track St Kilda’s rebuild

Oliver? Worpel? Or is it the draft again? After its problems were again laid bare, JON RALPH looks at the nine ways St Kilda could expedite its slow list overhaul.

Ross Lyon laid bare St Kilda’s list holes before and after the club’s dispiriting defeat against the Western Bulldogs.

As he explained in the Fox Footy pre-match interview, his midfield was beaten against Melbourne but brilliant ball movement allowed his team to find a way home.

Post-match as ‘Testy Ross’ came out in a spat over Thursday night crowds, he admitted that most rebuilds took six or seven years before lists blossomed.

Every Saints fan knows the current starting midfield is bottom four on pure talent and the rebuild has many years to run.

St Kilda has gone to four straight drafts to stockpile talent.

And against the Dogs, it didn’t select out-of-form Darcy Wilson or yet-to-debut top-10 pick Alix Tauru, with Toby Travaglia eight games into his career and Mattaes Phillipou out injured.

Ross Lyon with Darcy Wilson after he subbed him out against the Suns. Picture: Michael Klein

It would help if ex-Docker Liam Henry was firing, instead of having played eight VFL games and one mediocre AFL contest with a single possession.

So, this list is already being methodically overhauled the right way.

But what are the options to expedite it apart from a mega-play for Tom De Koning?

How can the Saints fast-track their rebuild without going away from their stated goal of rebuilding mainly via the draft?

Last year, St Kilda won six of the last eight games in a brilliant late dash that thankfully only worsened their draft spot by two positions after they went from 15th to 13th on the ladder..

Lyon will be desperate to again finish with a rush of wins but, as one of five teams on 20 premiership points, the brutal reality is that the search for another A grade mid will be harder if the Saints rally from 5-8 to secure 10 or more wins.

So, what are the options to bolster this midfield and increase this club’s depth, while also continuing to get valuable games into the youngsters from four drafts?

THE FREE AGENCY PLAY

James Worpel is a player of interest who would ideally love to play at Hawthorn.

But given its modest contract offer, the door is ajar.

Worpel is the perfect type – a hard, inside midfielder – the perfect age (26) and wouldn’t break the bank as one you might need to pay $800,000-plus to secure, but nothing outrageous.

He would immediately improve a midfield that has Jack Steele, who turns 30 in December, forced to do too much as he averages 22 possessions and 5.3 clearances per game.

THE WILDCARD PLAY

Clayton Oliver.

Talk about a Ross Lyon restoration project.

Oliver is more likely to want a sea-change to a club like the Cats where he can buy a farm and escape the Melbourne bubble.

His contract to 2030 hits $1.7 million in its final years.

But for his current flaws – too much blast kicking, off-field issues – he immediately solves St Kilda’s clearance concerns.

Clayton Oliver wins the in front of Saint Zak Jones. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

He averages 6.1 clearances, 2.3 centre square clearances and 5.6 tackles this season.

Against Collingwood, he had 30 touches, nine clearances, four centre square clearances and seven tackles.

But he went at only 37.5 per cent kicking efficiency – the wage is just one of multiple red flags.

For Oliver to get to the club of his choice, he might have to take a $200,000 pay cut, the Demons might have to pay $500,000 of his wage and his new club might have to pay him $1 million.

So much would have to go right, given that equation, for him to be traded, and he might just argue he should stay at the Demons and play on the MCG, rather than take a pay cut to go to a fellow inner-city club not in flag contention.

THE UNDER-APPRECIATED RIVAL

St Kilda has taken the likes of Liam Stocker and Matt Carroll but could it look north for a half back with pace and foot skills?

As the Saints try to retain their early picks, can they try to lure a Conor McKenna type to release Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera into the midfield?

The 29-year-old has played only four AFL games so far this year and surely has 50 strong games in him somewhere.

If not him, then who else as a player out of favour with real potential?

Could a Malcolm Rosas type appeal as a crumbing forward who can play immediately alongside Jack Higgins, while Lance Collard takes time to flourish?

THE ROLE PLAYER LOOKING FOR A STARRING ROLE

Sam Flanders might be on the move. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders has been linked to St Kilda before and Nine News reported this week Victorian clubs were sniffing around.

Here is the issue – St Kilda will want to take its first-rounder to the national draft and has already given up its 2025 second-rounder for Essendon’s pick 45 (Jack Macrae) and future fourth-rounder.

So its trade collateral is limited.

While the Saints can trade future picks, they would want to be absolutely sure Flanders was an A-grader worthy of such a trade, even if at 23 he’s in the right age bracket.

THE SALARY CAP DUMP

Sean Darcy.

St Kilda used its massive cap room to secure Macrae as part of a four-club trade last year, absorbing $800,000-plus a season of cap space and only handing over pick 45.

He ranks elite for contested possessions and clearances and has provided bang for buck.

If De Koning does choose mates over millions, St Kilda might again look around for clubs trying to clear cap space.

Darcy has knee issues but is only on $700,000 a season. so could the Saints acquire him for a very late pick. if the Dockers picked up some of the tab?

Clearly Rowan Marshall moving forward when TDK arrives is part of the club’s plans so, if it’s not Darcy, who else is it?

Sam Draper is the other key free agency ruckman from Victoria who, as an unrestricted free agent, would appeal if TDK stays.

Jack Silvagni at the Saints? Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

THE SHOCK AND AWE MOVE

Jack Silvagni.

He’s an unrestricted free agent. He’s an elite-kicking key back.

But if dad Steve was moved on from Carlton, given the perceived conflict of interest handling his sons (he strongly disagreed), surely he can’t trade for him at St Kilda.

THE BOTTOM-OF-THE-MARKET PLAY

St Kilda went hard at Sam Draper very early into his career, correctly foreseeing that the ex-soccer player had real talent.

Richmond’s Jacob Blight is the kind of player who is back in the Richmond pecking order.

The Tigers have a heap of first-round key position talls and have Noah Balta, Josh Gibcus, Campbell Gray and Luke Trainor likely ahead of him as a key back.

But he has shown he has a massive tank, can play ruck, back and forward, and is out of contract.

Again, it might not be Blight, but could the Saints steal an athletic young tall to help Marshall and round out the club’s key position stocks?

St Kilda has to continue to build depth with role players like Max Hall, a mid-season draftee taken by Simon Dalrymple, who has built a very impressive 13-game season so far.

THE NWM BACK-UP PLAN

If Wanganeen-Milera leaves for Port Adelaide, Miles Bergman has to be part of a potential trade.

As recently as a fortnight ago, St Kilda hadn’t expressed its interest this year, potentially because it would only ease the way for Wanganeen-Milera to get home as part of a trade package.

But St Kilda’s chief selling point for Bergman – who has interest from clubs including the Dogs – is centre square opportunities.

Bergman has only three centre square clearances for the year but the 23-year-old has attended at least half of the Power’s centre square opportunities in three of the past four weeks.

The Dogs would believe that if the Saints keep Wanganeen-Milera and secure TDK, they might not have the cap space for Bergman – but time will tell.

THE CAL WILKIE SUCCESSOR

Wilkie is only 29 so hopefully has another five years in him. given 145 successive games as an intercept back.

But Leek Aleer remains a player of massive interest on big dollars, even if he has finally played the past three games for the Giants.

He isn’t desperate to leave GWS but wants game time.

If the Giants play him every week from here, he might well sign the two-year deal they have offered him.

Again, as a No.15 draft pick, like former first-rounder Bergman, he hasn’t been devalued given his huge potential.

A fair trade might be a late teens pick but St Kilda will draft early and then hasn’t got a second-rounder.

It makes taking an elite early midfielder, then still securing a Bergman or Aleer type, problematic without trading the club’s future first-rounder.

Originally published as Clayton Oliver, James Worpel, Sam Flanders and the list moves that could fast track St Kilda’s rebuild