Cornes: Devastating for Saints if Nasiah leaves

Very few players are as important to their club as Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is to St Kilda.

The superstar back flanker turned midfielder has taken the AFL world by storm, playing out an unbelievably impressive season that will undoubtedly earn him a maiden All-Australian call up despite his side residing in 11th place.

His importance within the side goes without saying, anchoring St Kilda’s Round 22 win over Richmond despite the Tigers forcing a scrap throughout the afternoon. The driving force late in the contest, the superstar racked up another 33 disposals, seven marks and a goal, holding out for a four-point win at the 'G.

With two games remaining, Nasiah is facing a crucial contract decision in the coming weeks, and as his deal with St Kilda comes to an end, all likelihood suggests that the Saints may lose out on their star man.

Interest from both the Power and the Crows could lure Nasiah out of Moorabbin, with reports suggesting Port Adelaide have primary position in the superstar sweepstakes should he depart.

And in rather damning fashion, AFL legend Lance Franklin, who himself made a huge move from Hawthorn to Sydney during his career, has stated that Nasiah is as good as gone.

“If you’re not locked away now, you’re gone,” Franklin told The Buddy & Shane Show.

“He is as good as gone. I think he’s definitely going. For me, why would you hold out so long - it’s taken all year, there’s a couple games left and they’re not playing finals.

“If the decision was to stay, it would have happened weeks ago I would have thought. I think he’ll be going back to Adelaide, for sure.

“Sorry Saints supporters, hopefully I’m wrong... but history tells you, if they haven’t been signed, they’re going to look elsewhere and that’s probably what it’s looked like unfortunately.

“We want him to stay at the Saints, because the Saints need him. They absolutely need him, he is a must-watch player, and you do not want to lose a player like that.

“Fingers crossed they can hold on to him.”

Looking back over the course of AFL history, very few player exits have caused the level of detriment to their club that Wanganeen-Milera’s would cause the Saints.

According to Kane Cornes, if the star does decide to leave, the Saints are cooked.

“For the Saints side of things, 144 marks and they just did not want to go forward (in Saturday's win against Richmond),” Cornes told SEN Fireball.

“If they did go forward, they went forward slow, until Nasiah said, 'Stuff this, I’m going to go and kick the ball in, then I’m going to get it again, then I’m going to run up and get it again, I’m going to get it four times and actually take the game on'.

“If he leaves, their ball movement… he’s the only one willing to do anything with their ball movement. They are cooked if he goes!

“It’s got that feel about it, which is devastating. I couldn’t think of a more devastating decision for any one club in recent times, even Hawthorn when Buddy (Franklin) left, they were such a strong club.

“You couldn’t think of a more devastating move from a player.”

Essendon and the Giants close out St Kilda’s season, in what the club’s faithful will hope aren’t Nasiah’s final games in red, white and black.