Premiership contenders Fremantle and Geelong would both look significantly more potent next season with St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt at centre-half-forward.
Although Riewoldt is signed to the Saints until the end of next year, should one of those clubs sound out both him and the Saints about doing a deal to give him one last crack at a flag?
It is hard not to feel sorry for St Kilda’s skipper. Twice he came sickeningly close to winning a premiership with the Saints – in 2009 and 2010 – and now he is finishing his distinguished career in a basket case of a side.
At a time when there are a plethora of woeful teams in the AFL, St Kilda are comfortably the worst. They have lost their last 10 games on the trot by an average of 63 points.
There is not a skerrick of light at the end of the tunnel either. With several ageing stars set to depart in the next season or two, and few young guns coming through the ranks, they are likely to remain in the competition’s dank cellar until the end of Riewoldt’s playing days.
The Saints are in all-out rebuild mode. They must not only nail their draft recruiting but also take some risks at the trade table in order to infuse some youth and promise into their ailing list.
This is where Riewoldt comes into play. If he agreed to be traded – and he might if it was to a club within reach of a flag – the Saints could secure another draft pick, perhaps a high second-rounder.
It seems extremely unlikely such a deal would be done unless both Riewoldt and his club were happy with the situation. It would be a gamble by the Saints but they are in a position where they need to consider all options.
As for his value, Riewoldt may be 31 years old, but his body is in surprising good nick – he has not missed a game this season – and he remains one of the competition’s genuine stars.
The whole-hearted veteran is on target for a 55-goal season, while averaging 15 touches and eight marks a game.
That is a sensational return for a key forward in a floundering team which is incapable of providing him with either quantity or quality of delivery.
Consider how much more potent he would be in an elite side like Fremantle or Geelong, where he would get both of those things.
Moreover, the Dockers and the Cats are both desperately in need of a second key forward. Over in the West, gun spearhead Mathew Pavlich is routinely double-teamed because he is the only consistent aerial threat inside 50 metres for Fremantle.
At Pavlich’s feet are two of the game’s best small forwards in Hayden Ballantyne and Michael Walters. If that pair were hoovering up spillages created by two talented big men in Pavlich and Riewoldt, the Dockers would suddenly have a forward line almost as dangerous as any in the land.
Scoring power, and the associated lack of a second tall forward, is the Dockers only significant weakness. By recruiting Riewoldt, who apparently remains on good terms with his former coach and now Fremantle mentor Ross Lyon, they would greatly boost their chances of winning a long-awaited first premiership (assuming they don’t go all the way this year).
Handing St Kilda a second-round pick or a perhaps a young player of similar value would be a lean price to pay for such an opportunity.
Even more significantly, if Fremantle don’t win the flag this season, then their premiership window will be at risk of slamming shut. Their three most important players, structurally, Pavlich, key defender Luke McPharlin and ruckman Aaron Sandilands will turn 34, 34 and 33 years old respectively next year.
Once they retire it is hard not to see the Dockers falling back into the pack. That only makes snaring Riewoldt even more appealing.
As for the Cats, they would cherish another genuine target up forward to complement the brute force of Tom Hawkins.
Like Fremantle, this lack of a second tall forward is their most obvious shortcoming and hinders Hawkins, who is commonly swarmed by defenders.
Like Fremantle, Geelong have several brilliant veterans whose careers are nearing an end. Jimmy Bartel, Steve Johnson and James Kelly all turn 32 next year, Tom Lonergan and Andrew Mackie will be 31, and Corey Enright will be 34.
Those seven players are the core of an experienced, resilient and finals-hardened Cats outfit feared by every opponent when September arrives.
Adding Riewoldt could give them the push they need to nab one more flag as the end draws near for some of those key members of the Cats’ all-conquering teams of the past.
Of course, all this speculation ignores the fact that Riewoldt may be determined to stay put. A fiercely loyal man, he knocked back a substantial offer from Collingwood last year.
But a lot of things have changed since then, both for Riewoldt and St Kilda. A trade may now be the best thing for both parties.
michael steel
Guest
That's the point I am about to make Chris Scott has made it quite clear that his mandate is to get rid of older players to other clubs, not recruit them.
johno
Guest
A bit like Richo - imagine if he had gone to the Pies when they were tilting at the cup in 2002/3.
Ash
Guest
Why ruin Nicks legacy , one team players are revered.
Ian Montgomery
Roar Pro
The Saints need to ensure they create a strong culture around their club. Trading Riewoldt, on the back of Goddard and Dal Santo leaving would be the wrong move. Regardless of list management, recruitment or strategy, from the Saints point of view if they want to develop a strong team for the future keeping Riewoldt and maintaining his legacy is must. I do agree with an earlier suggestion to play him up on the wing. The Saints would benefit from having a player who could deliver the ball to leading forwards would improve their forward set up
Don Freo
Guest
Like the way you're thinking Stevie J. McCarthy great. Think Moller might fall short. Too spindly. Alex Pearce is more a key defender. Is the future McPharlin/Johnson. Life's good in purple.
bryan
Guest
Nick is a fantastic player,but he is the unluckiest poor bugger around! Injuries,& loss of form seen to have dogged him for most of his career,but when he is "on song",he is a delight to watch. That said,the days of Freo being a repository for "ex-greats" has gone,& we don't need him. I wish him the best,but I'm pretty sure he will play out his career with St Kilda.
Steve J
Roar Guru
Sandi is playing as well this year as he has. He's not going to get any smaller in 2 - 3 years time. I can see him playing at least that long. Trade Moller (NSW boy) to GWS for Cameron McCarthy is my tip
Steve J
Roar Guru
yep - I would love to see maybe Kersten or Hogan come to Freo
Steve J
Roar Guru
too true - Last year Pav and Sandi were nowhere to be seen for half the season, yet Freo still finished top 4. Clarke and Griffen is a very good ruck combo. The Freo forward line with Mayne, Walters, Ballantyne and Fyfe would be very competitive. Add Apeness and possibly Taberner or Alex Pearce as developing kids and you have a strong forward line for the next 5 years. McPharlin would be a big miss, but again we have kids coming through. I was one who didn't think Taberner did too badly down back. And I think Morabito will become the half back general running the ball out of defense. He has elite kicking skills and is a powerful kid.
Deep Thinker
Guest
From a purely Geelong perspective, I can't agree with this one. Geelong have spent the last 2-3 years getting rid of 30 year old players - including J-Pod, and Paul Chapman (who still has a bit in the tank). The last thing they will want to do is to take a short term option as a stop gap to fill the gap left by these guys. Geelong would be better off going for Boyd or Patton from GWS and get a 10 year player. They are also very keen to get Nathan Vardy on the park. Vardy hasn't had a good run with injury so far, but they see him as an AFL star in the making.
Balthazar
Guest
Gene I thought the meaning was clear when I said "team approach" - lose Luke and say Jonno or a couple of others and yes we're in trouble. Not much different from any other team. Luke by himself? No, we are used to covering for him - losing Jonno is worse IMO (which is why I think the author's premise is wrong)
Don Freo
Guest
That actually makes me right...again.
Cat
Roar Guru
The only players who deserve premierships are those who go out and win them. Saints couldn't.
Don Freo
Guest
Does it have to be one or the other? Freo takes what is and just gets the job done. If they are all back...be very afraid.
Don Freo
Guest
For some silly reason, I thought we were talking about footy. I'll concede that they will be those ages in the cricket season in 2015. I'm not sure that will impact on their ages...or their performances...in September 2015. It is pointless to use a stat or fact bereft of pertinence. Hence the correction. Clubs know how to read birthdates. That's why they have no problem re-contracting.
Cat
Roar Guru
You are wrong again Don Freo. Since all their birthdays are in December they are currently 32, 32, 31 right NOW. When this *year* ends (please don't confuse the footy calendar with an actual calendar) they will be 33,33,32. By the end of 2015 they will have turned 34, 34, and 33 just as Rohan said. Though to be fair it is a little statistical manipulation to make them look older, because while they will officially turn 34, 34 and 33 in 2015, the entirety of AFL season 2015 will see them play at 33, 33 and 32 years of age respectively.
Cat
Roar Guru
"Luke is fantastic but too often injured to be considered crucial ..." "Freo is sound as long as it is not missing too many of McPharlin ..." So which is it?
Don Freo
Guest
..and Sutcliffe and Mzungu and Ibbotson. When the big boys do go, the salary cap adjustments will allow movement then. No retiring Reiwoldt or Waite. They'll be moneyed up to chase Hogan, Patton,Leuenberger, Boyd. If they were to chase a more mature star, it would be a WA boy like Paddy Ryder.
Balthazar
Guest
"Their three most important players, structurally, Pavlich, key defender Luke McPharlin and ruckman Aaron Sandilands will turn 34, 34 and 33 years old respectively next year. Once they retire it is hard not to see the Dockers falling back into the pack." This is a tired old cliche and hasn't been true since at least the start of 2013. Sandi is great but Freo have an embarrassment of riches in the ruck department. Luke is fantastic but too often injured to be considered crucial to structures. Pav hasn't been scoring much this year and was missing for half of 2013. the crucial players structurally are the midfield, Ballas, Mayne and Walters. With a team approach to defence, Freo is sound as long as it is not missing too many of McPharlin, Dawson, Johnson and Spurr.
Cat
Roar Guru
You do realise he has been out injured a lot too right? Just about every time his form was pushing for debut he got injured. He would have debuted back in round 1 this year but again he was injured until 3 weeks before he did finally debut. He's in the team to stay now. Kersten's VFL games played: 2014: 3 (out of a possible 10*) 2013: 13 (out of a possible 23) 2012: 17 (out of a possible 23) *not counting VFL games since his AFL debut