Melbourne has successfully traded for Max Heath, sending St Kilda a 2027 fourth-round selection.
Heath was drafted as a mid-season recruit in 2021, and was seen as a developing ruckman who could spend his time in the front half.
The 22-year-old debuted for the Saints in Round 18, 2025 against Sydney, and followed that up with three more appearances.
The Demons have been on the lookout for versatile talls, with champion ruckman Max Gawn nearing the end of his glittering career.
"We're really excited to welcome a tall and physical player in Max, to the club," Melbourne AFL List Manager Tim Lamb said.
"We've been impressed by Max's aerial presence and ruck craft, and we look forward to his continued development as a Demon, working alongside our existing rucks in Max Gawn and Tom Campbell."
Under new senior coach Steven King, Melbourne is attempting to regenerate, informing Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Steven May that they are welcome to find new homes, although the latter looks set to don the red and blue in 2026.
Heath will join the club alongside Collingwood veteran Brody Mihocek.
Get set for the footy with the FREE Zero Hanger 2026 AFL Season Guide! Packed with 150+ pages of player profiles, team previews, insights and analysis, the 2026 AFL Season Guide is built for fans who want the full picture. Download your free Season Guide HERE.
