Trade talk: The All-Australian Saint now viewed as "gettable"

Sam Edmund is reporting that St Kilda defender Cal Wilkie is “disillusioned” with the club.

It is understood that the Saints vice-captain has not been overly pleased with the direction of the club, particularly with their attempts to retain Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

Added elements to Wilkie’s apparent frustration is the fact the Saints are looking to sign Leek Aleer from GWS on significant money and their pursuit of Carlton’s Tom De Koning which has seemingly put Rowan Marshall’s nose out of joint.

SEN’s chief footy reporter Edmund spoke of Wilkie’s disillusionment on Channel’s 7 The Agenda Setters.

“Potentially the future captain of St Kilda and the reigning best and fairest and All-Australian defender Cal Wilkie is disillusioned with the direction of his football club,” Edmund said.

“As Michelangelo Rucci touched on on SEN SA, we can provide some more detail around this.

“He is particularly concerned about the list management workings of his football club. The club’s ongoing struggle to retain Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is at the heart of that, Marcus Windhager, and the way in which Rowan Marshall has been largely kept in the dark over the club’s pursuit of Tom De Koning and how it would affect him.

“Cal Wilkie at the moment, I think it’s fair to say, is considering where he sits at the St Kilda Football Club.”

Edmund says one unnamed rival club has already contacted Wilkie who remains contracted with the Saints until the end of 2027.

“He’s been contacted by at least one rival club. The kicker here as well is that rival clubs think he’s gettable because Leek Aleer is going to come in on a contract that is about on par with Wilkie’s,” he continued.

“He’s played 22 games, Aleer. Nobody is saying he hasn’t got promise but Wilkie is 29 years of age, an All-Australian defender, future captain of that club on about $750,000 a year.

“He just doesn’t think they’re nailing it at the moment and there’s work to be done. Rival clubs think he’s gettable. That doesn’t mean he’s going to demand a trade but he’s certainly disillusioned.”

Edmund also indicated that St Kilda, in Wilkie’s eyes, might not have moved hard and early enough with the Wanganeen-Milera renegotiations.

“That perhaps the club weren’t on the front foot with him, didn’t drive a hard enough bargain or essentially pay up to keep Nasiah,” Edmund said further.

“Marcus Windhager as well who lives with Mitch Owens and Nasiah. Very close those three so the school of thought is that more could have been done in that space.

“I wouldn’t pretend to say that this is reflective of the entire group, but we’re talking about the senior leaders at that football club.”

Edmund’s news came after SEN SA’s Michelangelo Rucci spoke of similar disenchantment at the Saints.

He reported a significant amount of unrest amongst the playing group.

“They’ve been busy in the market, spending a lot of money,” Rucci told SEN SA’s The Run Home.

“(They are) certainly going to spend a lot of money on Tom De Koning, which has been an interesting little trade in itself in its play at the moment, whereby that is happening.

“But where is the fallout everywhere else – the one that is really interesting is when you have another local boy, Callum Wilkie. I understand he will seek his options as well at the end of the year.

“Jack Steele – expect him to seek greener pastures. An interesting one is Marcus Windhager… my understanding is that he will seek greener pastures.

“Rowan Marshall is the other interesting one. We know Rowan is looking at Tom De Koning coming in and saying, ‘well I’m on my way as well’. Does he finish at Carlton – does he get into the mix of this trade.

“Or does he go to Geelong, or does he end up at Brisbane? He is going somewhere. This is going to be a fascinating trade period.”

The Saints have also reportedly tabled a $25 million offer for West Coast's Harley Reid.