ST KILDA’s list manager Ameet Bains has hailed Shane Savage’s arrival at the club as a win for the future, following a deal that involved sending Ben McEvoy to Hawthorn in return for pick 17 and the Hawthorn playmaker.
Bains said the swap is as bold as it is forward-thinking and told AFL Trade Radio on Thursday morning that “if you want to build or get well-positioned in the draft, then you need to give up something of quality.”
This aggressive approach to list management extends beyond this trade in isolation, with St Kilda intent on claiming three first-round picks in November’s National Draft.
“One of the strategic drivers we set ourselves coming into the trade period was to get three picks inside the top 20,” Bains said. “We think that is the quickest way to start transitioning our list. We obviously now have picks three and 17.”
McEvoy played 91 games for the Saints after debuting in 2008, and while he was a valued contributor throughout 2013, Tom Hickey’s emergence in the last few rounds of the season bodes well for the future without his 2013 ruck partner.
“Ben was still contracted to the club and he’s been an enormously loyal person as well,” Bains said. “We do have a lot of faith in Tom Hickey and hence why we pursued him so aggressively last year.”
“I should stress that a deal couldn’t have taken place if both parties hadn’t agreed. I think from his perspective, the challenge of going to a club which is currently at the top of the tree - and the challenges it presents - was something that was attractive as well [for Ben].”
Following the retirements of Jason Blake and Justin Koschitzke and today’s events, Bains said the recruiting team had already discussed various strategies to cope with the loss of three experienced big-men.
“We’ve got a few different plans in place that depends on the picks we finish up with after the trade period. We recognise the short-term issue with Ben’s departure and it is something we need to address.”
“Inevitably, there is a cycle. We are in no denial about where the list is at and we need to be quite aggressive and creative to get up towards the top of the table. I’d like our fans to know that we have a very measured and strategic approach to how we are going to achieve that and this is one part of that.”
Shane Savage adds an X-factor to St Kilda’s on-ball brigade and already has 56 games of AFL football under his belt, including 15 matches this year. While his form was generally promising in 2013, a richly talented and deep Hawks midfield made it difficult for the 22-year-old to fully establish himself in amongst a plethora of stars.
“He has played in a very strong team and was an emergency for the Grand Final… He’s served a great apprenticeship,” Bains said.
“He provides some outside run, is a very good kick, and we think he can add a point of difference to our midfield and complement the other young players we’ve got coming through… It’s very exciting.”
You can follow Tom Morris on Twitter: @tommorris32
