St Kilda has offered a future second-round and a future third-round pick to Brisbane for 20-year-old midfielder Sam Marshall, but the Lions have knocked that back.
The Lions want picks in the 2026 draft, while list manager Dom Ambrogio said on Monday that, given Marshall is only two years into his career, was taken with Pick 25 and has shown promise, the club wants an equal or better pick in return.
St Kilda currently has Pick 8, 49 and 67, which poses a problem for the bayside club as it has committed to securing Marshall.
The young midfielder-winger has played 13 games since arriving at the Lions and was part of the 2025 premiership-winning side, albeit being subbed out at halftime for Lachie Neale.
St Kilda will have to get creative to get the deal done but won't want to split its Pick 8.
The club is also in the midst of trying to organise a deal for contracted ruckman Rowan Marshall. St Kilda is currently asking for at least Pick 14 from Geelong (Marshall's preferred destination), but the Cats aren't budging.
Geelong is contemplating trading midfielder-forward Gryan Miers to West Coast for roughly Pick 21, which then could be moved on to be part of the Rowan Marshall deal, before St Kilda uses it as part of its deal to get Sam Marshall from Brisbane.
Another approach at the Saints' disposal is to walk Marshall through the pre-season draft, costing the club next to nothing while the Lions would lose a promising player for zilch.
Brisbane experienced this last year when they couldn't strike a deal with Adelaide for dual premiership player Callum Ah Chee. The clubs haggled over picks but ultimately, the Crows walked Ah Chee to the pre-season draft.
Essendon, however, finished at the bottom of the ladder and had a strong interest in signing Marshall before he chose St Kilda.
The Bombers would then likely consider taking Marshall with their pick prior to the Saints' in the pre-season draft. Meaning St Kilda, like Brisbane, would leave empty-handed.
