Just hours after St Kilda officially signed their star target of the off-season, former Blues ruck Tom De Koning, their primary ruck of nine years, Rowan Marshall, requested a trade.
Marshall has expressed his desire to play for the Geelong Cats next season, a club that reportedly spoke with Marshall in early September about a potential move down the highway amid the talent squeeze at Moorabbin.
The Cats' ruck stocks have long been considered to require a boost, with 34-year-old Rhys Stanley evidently no longer the best option for them moving forward following an underwhelming grand final performance.
Securing Marshall would instantly bolster Geelong's dynamism within their tall stocks, with Marshall having the capability to present as a legitimate forward target and aerial threat, as well as a dominant ruck.
But what gets a deal done for Marshall, who is contracted to St Kilda until 2027? We look at four offers that could benefit both parties.
1. Picks only package
Geelong trade: Pick 18, future first-round selection
St Kilda trade: Rowan Marshall, future second-round selection
Marshall, while a star talent for the Saints who bordered on All-Australian selection a couple of years ago, is unlikely to demand a top 10 pick in this year's National Draft, particularly with how well St Kilda have recruited this off-season.
Therefore, Geelong's late first-round pick, which currently resides as the 18th selection, should be enough to interest the Saints.
A swap of Geelong's 2026 first-round selection for St Kilda's second-round pick next year could be the essential part of the deal which convinces the Saints to part ways with Marshall, too.
The Saints will be banking on a drop off from the Cats, who will need to defy history to find similar success in 2026 following their grand final thumping, while St Kilda are expected to take a sizeable leap into the frame of September following a monumental off-season of acquisitions.
