St Kilda are understood to be considering a big-money bid for out-of-contract Collingwood star Jordan De Goey as Collingwood weigh up the benefits of keeping the goal-kicking midfielder against the possibility of paying overs for him.
If Collingwood failed to match a rival bid for De Goey, the talented but controversial star could be poached by another club without having to part with a draft pick.
Any big deal for De Goey from a rival club would still see Collingwood well-compensated however, as he is a restricted free agent, meaning that were he to opt for a change of scenery, the Magpies would likely receive Pick 11.
See Also: Victorian club linked with trio of midfielders
The Saints have notoriously targeted the free agency market in recent years with mixed results. High-priced recruits such as Dan Hannebery have not delivered, while others such as Brad Crouch are similar to players the club already possessed.
Having been so aggressive with their recruiting, a huge decision would need to be made on whether to target De Goey. While he is a genuine matchwinner for the Pies, he does come with plenty of baggage.
With so much of the salary cap committed to their current crop, not to mention key ruckman Rowan Marshall still needing to be re-signed, there would appear to be bigger concerns for the club than chasing another name.
While some focus will be placed on player retention, the Saints are weighing up a move for De Goey, according to The Herald Sun.
St Kilda club great Brendon Goddard has thrown his support behind a move for the polarising Collingwood star. However, he was quick to qualify his view, saying that the move must be right for the club.
See Also: Ex-Saint opens up on Ross Lyon spray that turned his career around
"If they have the money (spare) and they don't have to move mountains to fit him in, I think they would do it," Goddard told News Corp.
"So then it's him and (Max) King on the best part of about $1 million (a year) or thereabouts and it does not compromise your ability to be a little bit flexible over the next three or four years because they will probably still get to a point where they might need to add another person or two.
"But they would need to make sure he has a good life balance and has addressed any issues in terms of his behaviour. But I would support it."
As a player who moved as a free agent in his career himself, Goddard is well-suited to comment on player movement. The star utility was famously one of the first free agents to move clubs when the new rules were introduced, venturing to Essendon.
While the move would carry significant risk for the Saints, Goddard said the rewards were plain to see if the acquisition paid off. With De Goey capable of winning games off his own boot, he could transform the Saints' attack.
"I think a 60 (forward) and 40 (midfield) split is best where he could be having 20-22 possessions and still kicking you three goals a game," Goddard explained.
"Then he sits next to King and then (Tim) Membrey becomes a better player because he has boxed above his weight division and suddenly gets the third defender.
"And he (De Goey) could tag in and out of the midfield with (Jade) Gresham, so it definitely fits well for St Kilda from a personnel perspective."
See Also: AFL 'open-minded' to mid-season trade exchanges
While Goddard's comments make sense, the Saints, and others, would be wary of the risk that comes with De Goey. Following a string of off-field incidents, clubs would now be more cautious than ever when targeting the explosive midfielder.
