All-Australian St Kilda defender Cal Wilkie “will seek his options elsewhere” at the end of this season, per a report.
Plus, a Brisbane premiership forward is said to have received “a healthy proposal” from a rival club as he comes out of contract at the Lions.
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ALL-AUS SAINT TO LOOK ELSEWHERE
Contracted St Kilda defender Cal Wilkie will reportedly assess his options at season’s end as the club “actively looks to spend money”.
And their big-money trade plans, including the decision to pay a 22-gamer the same salary as him in 2026, could be playing a key role.
The 27-year-old All-Australian’s deal at the Saints runs through 2027, meaning any departure would have to come via trade.
The Saints are thought to be offering Carlton ruckman Tom De Koning $1.7 million per year, while they’re said to have tabled $1.4 million per season to Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera to stay at Moorabbin.
They’ve also been strongly linked to and are expected to land out-of-contract GWS defender Leek Aleer on a considerable sum.
But SEN SA’s Michelangelo Rucci reported on Monday that Wilkie, Jack Steele, Marcus Windhager and Rowan Marshall could be part of a mass St Kilda exodus at the end of the 2025 campaign.
“St Kilda have been actively looking to spend money — the fallout is Callum Wilkie will seek his options elsewhere. Jack Steele will explore greener pastures, as will Marcus Windhager. As for Rowan Marshall, he’s going somewhere!” Rucci said on SEN radio.
Then on Monday night SEN’s Sam Edmund added to the story by reporting clubs view Wilkie as “gettable” because he is “disillusioned”, with at least one club making contact.
“He’s particularly concerned about the list management workings of his football club,” Edmund said on Seven.
He added on Twitter: “The defender isn’t happy with the attempts to retain Nasiah & Windhager and was disappointed Marshall wasn’t fully informed of the TDK plans sooner.
“The kicker is that 22-gamer Leek Aleer is set to join on the same money as Wilkie – an All-Australian, reigning best and fairest and most likely, next year’s captain.”
Crucially, in addition to being one of the game’s most consistent one-on-one stoppers, Wilkie is one of the most durable players going around; having played at least 21 games in each of his past five seasons at St Kilda.
Foxfooty.com.au’s Ben Cotton reported in early August there’s a ‘trade watch’ this October on Steele, who was curiously made sub for the club’s clash with North Melbourne a couple of weeks ago.
As for Windhager, foxfooty.com.au’s Will Faulkner reported back in May that the renowned tagger was ‘one to watch’ amid a greater desire to play more as a pure ball-winning midfielder.
RIVAL ‘PUTS IN AN OFFER’ TO LION
The ladder-leading Adelaide Crows have reportedly “put in an offer” to Brisbane forward Cal Ah Chee, who is thought to be “paid unders” at Springfield.
Ah Chee is out of contract but not eligible for free agency this year, meaning any departure would also have to come via trade.
The 27-year-old has played 163 AFL games, having made the short trip from Gold Coast to Brisbane at the end of the 2019 season and playing a key role in the Lions’ premiership triumph last September.
SEN SA’s Kym Dillon reported on Monday that the Crows have put in a “healthy proposal” to Ah Chee in hopes of luring him to West Lakes at the end of this season.
“You can take it as fact. Adelaide Football Club have put in an offer to Callum Ah Chee. Adelaide have put a healthy proposal to him — he is paid unders at Brisbane,” Dillon said on SEN radio.
Ah Chee, who played all 26 senior games last year and has played 20 to date in 2025, remains a key cog in Brisbane’s attack and is capable of playing both as a pure goalkicker and also as a negator on the opposition’s best defender.
But while Ah Chee is a valuable member of Chris Fagan’s best side, due to his age and status as a role player, he’d be unlikely to cost Adelaide a premium price at the trade table.
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