ST KILDA is not resigned to losing second-year player Jamie Cripps, with the club hoping to change his mind about returning to his native Western Australia.

Reports emerged over Grand Final weekend that Cripps had walked out on the Saints and hoped to return home.

But the Saints have had no dialogue with West Coast or Fremantle and will instead focus on convincing the 20-year-old former first-round pick - he was taken with pick No.24 in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft - to change his mind.

Brendon Goddard's situation remains the critical case for the Saints to sort out, with confirmation that he has been offered a four-year deal to join Essendon during Gillette AFL Free Agency period.

With Goddard falling into the bracket of restricted free agent, the Saints have a 72-hour window from 11am Monday to match the offer.

Goddard's future will be crucial to what could be an active free agency and trade period for the Saints, who have been linked to Gold Coast duo Josh Caddy and Tom Hickey.

If Goddard does leave, the Saints would probably receive the maximum compensation - a draft pick straight after their first-round selection that could boost their negotiating power.

Caddy has also been linked to North Melbourne and Geelong, but the Saints could have the advantage of having a higher first-round selection than both those clubs.

Geelong still has a compensation pick for losing Gary Ablett to the Suns at the end of 2010, which they could use as part of a trade.

But if Goddard goes and the Saints are armed with two first-round choices, they may hold more interest in negotiations with the Suns.

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Luke Holmesby covers St Kilda news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter - @AFL_Luke