There’s palpable frustration among senior players at St Kilda amid “outrageous” contract offers for prospective recruits — and there are fears the captain could be “collateral damage”.
Plus, a contracted West Coast forward is attracting interest from as many as four rival clubs.
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SAINTS PLAYER ANGER EXPLAINED
There are fresh concerns Saints skipper Jack Steele could be “collateral damage” as the club aims to create cap space for big-money deals.
It was revealed on Monday that All-Australian St Kilda defender Cal Wilkie would assess his options elsewhere at the end of the season amid growing unrest from a group of senior Saints as prospective recruits prepare for massive paydays.
Carlton’s Tom De Koning — set for $1.7 million per season — and GWS 22-gamer Leek Aleer — thought to be approximately $750,000 per year — are the two big names set to cash in this year as they’re expected to cement Moorabbin moves, while Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will get a massive salary increase if he ultimately elects to re-sign with St Kilda.
Further, it was rumoured on Tuesday that the Saints are fielding a 12-year, $25 million offer to Eagles prodigy Harley Reid.
As a result, there are worries over the Saints futures of Steele, Wilkie — both contracted — and potentially Marcus Windhager, who foxfooty.com.au’s Will Faulkner reports is now attracting interest from the Giants.
Herald Sun and Fox Footy journalist Jon Ralph explained the trade state of play at the Saints on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.
“It’s not a player exodus just yet, but it’s a state of affairs that certainly impacts the club’s captain in Jack Steele, and it’s vice-captain Cal Wilkie,” he began on Tuesday night.
“There’s multiple players on the brink of considering leaving a club that needs to bring in talent, not lose it.
“Senior players are worried that Jack Steele will be part of the collateral damage. This is a club that is making massive offers to the likes of Tom De Koning, Leek Aleer and Harley Reid. They just need to clear cap space.
“He wants to stay, he believes in the future, but he signed a deal at the very top of the market as a dual All-Australian, and right now, he’s probably not worth that in terms of output.
“And so what concerns his teammates is whether the club desperately needs him. Are they prepared to just lure him out there in the trade period? Yes, with some deniability, but look for offers for him.
“St Kilda needs more talent, everyone understands that. They need to keep their culture as well, and that’s a really important driver. This bloke is their captain.”
Ralph, who called it “a worrying situation all round”, said Wilkie wouldn’t exit at year’s end but confirmed some bewilderment from his camp at the lucrative sums being lobbed at rival players.
He explained the domino effect that extended to the prospective recruits De Koning and Aleer themselves, with Rowan Marshall’s Moorabbin future also clouded.
“Wilkie won’t leave the club, and he will say so at the next opportunity … but he was certainly bemused at the fact that these outrageous deals were rolling around,” he said.
“Here’s the issue. The players that are potentially and almost certainly coming in, they’re getting worried as well.
“TDK is desperate to play alongside Rowan Marshall, he wants him to stay. I think we all expect he’s going down the highway to Geelong. So, one of the reasons is, yes, he wants to play ruck with him, but he doesn’t want to be public enemy number one.
“Rowan Marshall is such a popular figure, he’s been at the club through thick and thin, and all of a sudden, TDK comes in and he leaves.
“Aleer is similarly worried. He’ll come to the St Kilda Football Club, but he wants to play with Cal Wilkie, he wants to be the third banana, not the number-one banana on big dollars and massive expectations.”
The Herald Sun’s Scott Gullan said: “The issue is, they should have been ahead of this … getting players in, players understand that — you need more talent to improve, of course we get that — but they haven’t sold this vision early enough. Rowan Marshall only found out last month that TDK was a lock.”
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FOUR CLUBS CONSIDERING FLAG EAGLE
Veteran West Coast forward Liam Ryan is attracting interest from rival clubs, notably from Victoria.
Ryan has played 18 games this year — his most in a season since 2019 — and kicked 22 goals amid occasional midfield stints in addition to his attacking exploits.
The 128-game premiership livewire is contracted through next season but continues to receive interest from rivals, with Ralph reporting St Kilda, Essendon, Carlton and Port Adelaide are considering pursuing Ryan.
“There’s a couple of factors there,” Ralph began on Midweek Tackle on Tuesday.
“He’s turning 29 at the end of the year, he’s got one year on his contract, he was involved in a bit of a scuffle at the start of the year, which he was exonerated for.
“There’s a couple of cultural factors there where it might be time for a fresh start for him. And so, West Coast is open to that, they’re not doing a lot of contract extensions right now.
“So, if you’re St Kilda, they’re really keen to build their Indigenous representation. If you’re Carlton, you’re thinking …”
Ralph called Ryan “an immediate game-changer”, while Gullan told Fox Footy: “He has got upside for two or three years with a new fresh start … we mentioned Carlton, Graham Wright loves small forwards, he hasn’t really got any of great value there.”
Foxfooty.com.au’s Ben Cotton reported in early July that Ryan was on the Bombers’ radar.
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