ST KILDA list manager Ameet Bains says the Saints will consider trading the compensation pick they expect to receive for losing Brendon Goddard if "the right opportunity came up".

Bains' comments have led to speculation that St Kilda might try and use the pick to secure Gold Coast midfielder Josh Caddy, who wants to return to Victoria.

Complicating matters, however, is the fact that the Saints don't know whether they'll get a mid-first round selection or an end of first round pick as compensation for Goddard's defection to Essendon.

And they won't get an answer on that from the AFL until the Gillette Free Agency period ends on Friday, October 19.

"We're very hopeful that we'll get pick 13," Bains told Trade Radio on Tuesday afternoon.

"We would like to have more certainty around it. It is [a] grey [area], as we don’t know where it's going to land.

"I think that uncertainty and not knowing for a couple of weeks does make it difficult."

But the Saints will receive their compensation selection with one week of the trade period remaining, so they will have time to make a play for Caddy if he remains available.

"I think we're open-minded about moving on that pick," Bains said.

"But ... our recruiting team, led by Tony Elshaug, are very excited about prospect of using an early pick as well."

On Monday the Saints traded their first-round selection in the upcoming NAB AFL Draft for West Australian key forward Tom Lee.

Now they have turned their attention to West Coast key defender Mitch Brown, although negotiations with the Eagles have reached a stalemate.

"They're reluctant to part with Mitch, given that he's contracted for another year, and in their eyes they see him being part of their future," Bains explained.

"I think we just need to keep an open line of communication about it.

"Clearly Jamie Cripps has requested a trade back to Perth and has nominated West Coast as his club of preference.

"They've indicated to us that they'd like to have him, so I guess there's a need for us to keep the dialogue open to facilitate that from their end as well."

Wingman Farren Ray is another St Kilda player whose name has come up in early trade discussions.

"There is, at this time of year, a lot of interest expressed in a lot of players and certainly there's been interest expressed in Farren," Bains said.

"We liken it to the Mitch Brown situation, as Farren is contracted with us for 2013 and he is a required player.

"So we're working through some of those overtures to try and work out how serious they are."