Trade Rumours 2025

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I mean I would've thought we'd had already spoken to him by now. Surprised it took this long since the initial offer.

We're probably just being used for Wilkie to renegotiate his contract with the saints.

Can't blame us for trying but I'd hope we've got other players lined up. We can't wait around and risk losing out on Butts and others. There's a very low chance we get Wilkie even if he commits to us.

[Bornadog]

I mean I would've thought we'd had already spoken to him by now. Surprised it took this long since the initial offer.

We're probably just being used for Wilkie to renegotiate his contract with the saints.

Can't blame us for trying but I'd hope we've got other players lined up. We can't wait around and risk losing out on Butts and others. There's a very low chance we get Wilkie even if he commits to us.

Of course we have spoken to him through his manager. This was player and Bevo

[Sedat]

Of course we have spoken to him through his manager. This was player and Bevo

Yep, big difference. The Hanger blew up last week when Merrett spoke to Mitchell - I'm quite sure Merrett's management and the Hawks have been talking for a lot longer.

Wilkie seeking out and talking directly with Bevo elevates this from a 5% chance to somewhere closer to 50/50. And St Kilda have basically snookered themselves financially and also tenure-wise. They will tug at the emotional heart-strings with the captaincy, but the financial/tenure gap is so vast it's going to be a challenge for them. And we haven't even thrown our last punch yet.

It's obviously in play and no longer a Hail Mary.

[Axe Man]

Reporters don't run with a long-shot throw at the stumps - there is smoke and there is fire. Doesn't mean it is over the line but it is clearly in play, otherwise Sam Edmond would not be putting his name to the story. How can it not - we are offering an instant $500k a season pay rise and an extra 2 years. St Kilda are going to have to get extremely creative to get anywhere near satisfying Wilkie (and more importantly his wife).

He's not an idiot - he's gotten windburn from Aleer and Silvagni scorching past him overnight on bigger contracts. I'm not sure St Kilda can get even in the conversation finance wise. The captaincy is an obvious carrot, but if there is discontent (which there is) the captaincy doesn't hold as much weight as it did - they're about to rissole their current captain, which I'm sure Wilkie has also noted with interest.

The story is he spoke to Bevo, I have no reason to doubt that. The story isn't he's demanding a trade.

I also don't doubt there is some discontent from Wilkie. The level of discontent is what we don't really know. Is it enough for him to want out or will the Saints smooth it over to Wilkie's satisfaction?

If they offload Marshall and Steele I feel like they will have enough room to upgrade Wilkie's contract in a significant way. They likely won't need to match what we are offering.

Bevo speaking to Wilkie is definitely an encouraging sign and I remain hopeful, but I will believe it when I see it.

[ledge]

I mean I would've thought we'd had already spoken to him by now. Surprised it took this long since the initial offer.

We're probably just being used for Wilkie to renegotiate his contract with the saints.

Can't blame us for trying but I'd hope we've got other players lined up. We can't wait around and risk losing out on Butts and others. There's a very low chance we get Wilkie even if he commits to us.

Club would have talked to him a lot but the final push is usually the coach having a one on one conversation about the whole situation and whether they could come together .
I have no doubt that they both understand where they are at and Bevo would have said that he respects whatever decision he makes. Bevo is a very respectful person as to players choices no matter what the choice . The old saying is don’t burn your bridges . To Wilkes defence the saints look like making a serious push over the next two years and it would be hard to move emotionally .

[bulldogsthru&thru]

The story is he spoke to Bevo, I have no reason to doubt that. The story isn't he's demanding a trade.

I also don't doubt there is some discontent from Wilkie. The level of discontent is what we don't really know. Is it enough for him to want out or will the Saints smooth it over to Wilkie's satisfaction?

If they offload Marshall and Steele I feel like they will have enough room to upgrade Wilkie's contract in a significant way. They likely won't need to match what we are offering.

Bevo speaking to Wilkie is definitely an encouraging sign and I remain hopeful, but I will believe it when I see it.

This is it.

Wilkie will have to go full Merrett to come over here. Don't see it happening.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Even if we convince Wilkie to request a trade, does anyone honestly think St Kilda will trade him? He's contracted, rated highly, and they are chips in on recruiting for the 'now' - to trade their best defender/next captain in the midst of this makes zero sense.

I really hope we aren't investing much time here.

I also wonder what we offered Barass last year. Could we have/should we have offered.more at the time?

[bulldogsthru&thru]

We are supposedly the club with the most interest in Butts. The player that is. He's contracted though.

Also the AFEL are thinking about implementing signing bonuses for free agents that sign with bottom 4 or 6 teams. The bonus would fall outside salary caps.

[GVGjr]

Watch that space, it might get interesting.

Well that happened a bit quicker than expected
Sam Edmund reporting that we are still in communication with Wilkie

[chef]

Feel like we'll just end up being used for a payrise. Part of the reason for him being disillusioned was the list and they are fixing that issue.

[Axe Man]

We are supposedly the club with the most interest in Butts. The player that is. He's contracted though.

After the way Keane played last week I fear the Crows won't deal Butts.

[Sedat]

The story is he spoke to Bevo, I have no reason to doubt that. The story isn't he's demanding a trade.

I also don't doubt there is some discontent from Wilkie. The level of discontent is what we don't really know. Is it enough for him to want out or will the Saints smooth it over to Wilkie's satisfaction?

If they offload Marshall and Steele I feel like they will have enough room to upgrade Wilkie's contract in a significant way. They likely won't need to match what we are offering.

Bevo speaking to Wilkie is definitely an encouraging sign and I remain hopeful, but I will believe it when I see it.

Speaking directly with Bevo is not insignificant - we got his and his manager's attention with the initial offer a few weeks ago, there has been complete radio silence from WIlkie and his management since then, and now the player has spoken directly with Bevo. None of us are suggesting he is demanding a trade, but he is undeniably moving closer to considering that position. At the very least, he and his wife are evaluating what a future with us could look like.

I'd suggest that Marshall and Steele exiting Moorabbin and freeing up their salaries would have already been factored in to St Kilda's massive poaching raid (not to mention having to pay absolute maximum dollar to retain NWM, and still having to renegotiate Windhager). I don't think they expected to have to renegotiate Wilkie's contract as well, but now they most certainly have to.

I normally take no notice whatsoever of anonymous "take it to the bank" texts that are read out on SEN, but there was one yesterday read out by Whateley/Edmond suggesting Wilkie's wife accidentally let it slip in a group chat that he's off to the kennel as our offer was simply too good to refuse. I take that story with a grain of salt, but it sounds a lot more plausible today than it did yesterday.

[Bornadog]

James Worpel is set to join Geelong via free agency, per Riley Beveridge.

[whythelongface]

James Worpel is set to join Geelong via free agency, per Riley Beveridge.

Odd timing for that to come out given the game this weekend

[doggies ftw]

Speaking directly with Bevo is not insignificant - we got his and his manager's attention with the initial offer a few weeks ago, there has been complete radio silence from WIlkie and his management since then, and now the player has spoken directly with Bevo. None of us are suggesting he is demanding a trade, but he is undeniably moving closer to considering that position. At the very least, he and his wife are evaluating what a future with us could look like.

I'd suggest that Marshall and Steele exiting Moorabbin and freeing up their salaries would have already been factored in to St Kilda's massive poaching raid (not to mention having to pay absolute maximum dollar to retain NWM, and still having to renegotiate Windhager). I don't think they expected to have to renegotiate Wilkie's contract as well, but now they most certainly have to.

I normally take no notice whatsoever of anonymous "take it to the bank" texts that are read out on SEN, but there was one yesterday read out by Whateley/Edmond suggesting Wilkie's wife accidentally let it slip in a group chat that he's off to the kennel as our offer was simply too good to refuse. I take that story with a grain of salt, but it sounds a lot more plausible today than it did yesterday.

Haha that guy was posting on a BF post about his wife’s group chat, he was making a pretty convincing argument - but only convincing because I want it to be true!

Who knows, it’s definitely still in play but I suspect Saints end up doing what they need to eventually and it’s not an untenable position like Merrett for example. I’m hopeful but I don’t want us to put all our eggs in one basket if it means we miss out on Butts etc, anyway I’m sure Power is all over it either way