ST KILDA forward Ahmed Saad is still actively involved with the club despite his delisting on Thursday.
Saad was officially delisted as part of the second List Lodgement on Thursday head of next week’s NAB AFL Draft.
The Saints have promised to work with Ahmed throughout his current hearing with the AFL’s tribunal.
The club can still rookie Saad but a decision cannot be made on that until the tribunal hands down its findings.
Saad said he was warmed by the embrace he had received from the Saints.
“The club have been very supportive of me from day one. The players, the staff and the coaches have all given me support and called me pretty much every day to make sure I’m OK and most importantly make sure that my welfare and actual health is fine,” he said.
“I definitely don’t feel that I’ve been delisted and let go by any means. The club has been supportive and that is something that we did speak about and it was a plan to go forward and help out the club as well as help me out.”
The 24-year-old said showing up to Linen House Centre had helped give him a sense of normal in a challenging time.
“It is really important because that is what I love. We have done that for the last two years and there is nothing I enjoy more than coming to the club and seeing the boys,” Saad said.
“It really does take my mind of everything and it is kind of an outlet. It doesn’t matter if I’m delisted or not because to me I’m still part of the club.”
Saad has been in constant dialogue with the club over the past few months and said that clear communication had given him some comfort.
“It was a tough day to know that I got delisted but it is something that we did speak about and there are plans to go forward,” he said.
“It is obviously in the best interests of the club and myself as well. The plan is hopefully they can pick me up in the rookie draft and if everything goes OK hopefully I can be back playing next year and the year after.”