Where's the club at?
The Saints are in a strange position. A top four finish is a successful season but there is a big gap between St Kilda and the top three sides.
They have been happy to trade away picks in recent years and have to decide here whether to top up again or keep all their picks.
Needs
A bit of hardness in the midfield would be handy, but it is hard to find those types readily available on the trade market.
The absence of Luke Ball towards the end of the year highlighted St Kilda’s lack of aggression in the middle. For so long the trend was to look at athletes for midfield positions but St Kilda could use someone like Sam Mitchell. Not that he will be on the market but a similar type player would be high on their wish list.
A running half-forward would also be handy. The Saints have lacked a mid-sized forward since injuries finished Aaron Hamill’s career. Perhaps Ryan O’Keefe would be keen to join former Sydney Swans assistant Ross Lyon at Moorabbin.
Tradeable commodities
St Kilda’s poor loss to Hawthorn in the preliminary final saw intense criticism of Nick Dal Santo and Justin Koschitzke. Neither of the two had his greatest season in 2008 but the club has already worked hard to quash rumours that they may be on the market.
That said, if the price is right, St Kilda would have to look at any deals that may be offered.
The Saints may have also lost patience with injury-ridden defender Matt Maguire, who still may have some currency with other clubs looking for a tall backman.
What the club says
"We'll very much want to keep our picks, like everyone else. It's the old story, if an unbelievable deal came up, then you've always got to consider. Anything in regards to swapping, we'll consider, but that's coming from the position that we want to keep our picks." – Recruiting manager John Peake.
Crystal ball trades
He is the biggest name being floated at the moment and Ryan O’Keefe could slot in well at the Saints. The forward line hasn’t quite gelled together and maybe a straight swap of Koschitzke, give or take a draft pick for O’Keefe could suit all parties.
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More trade talk
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Trade week runs from October 6-10, 2008. Please note, no trades are official until paperwork has been accepted by the AFL and formally recognised after 2pm on Friday, October 10.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
