Matthew Lloyd Questions Saints’ ‘Irresponsible’ $1.7m Gamble for Rivalling Star

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd has expressed concern over St Kilda’s intentions to commit $1.7 million per season to Carlton ruckman Tom De Koning, questioning whether this aligns with the club’s needs.

Lloyd argued that the Saints were thoroughly outplayed in the midfield during their 71-point defeat to the Bulldogs on Sunday night, suggesting that acquiring another star ruckman won’t rectify the team’s midfield issues.

With Rowan Marshall, who was selected for the All-Australian team in 2023, already in their ranks, Lloyd is uncertain whether investing heavily in a ruckman constitutes wise list management.

“After Sunday’s loss, I found myself pondering this issue—does St Kilda really need to invest like this?” Lloyd shared on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“I understand they’ve missed out on several players, but is it sensible to allocate $1.7 million to one individual?”

“Given their current state as a midfield unit, they were thoroughly outclassed by the Bulldogs.”

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“Looking back, the last three premiership ruckmen have included Darcy Fort, Darcy Cameron, and Rhys Stanley; it’s evident that a superstar ruckman isn’t essential for success.”

“I can’t help but think that they could spread that financial commitment across the entire roster instead of going for broke on just one player.”

“Take Carlton for example; they pay significant amounts to top players like (Patrick) Cripps, (Sam) Walsh, (Jacob) Weitering, (Harry) McKay and (Charlie) Curnow, but their list is more balanced overall.”

St Kilda’s list manager, Stephen Silvagni, was responsible for drafting De Koning with pick 30 back in 2017.

Silvagni has a track record of pursuing players he previously drafted when transitioning between clubs, having brought former Carlton players Liam Stocker and Paddy Dow to the Saints. He employed a similar approach at the Blues, focusing on players he had selected during his time at GWS.

Brownlow Medal winner Jimmy Bartel believes St Kilda needs to focus on their emerging young talent who will be approaching contract renewals within the next year.

Players like Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mattaes Phillipou, Darcy Wilson, and Marcus Windhager will be in need of new contracts, with the first two rumoured to be considering moves back to South Australia.

“I like the young core at St Kilda. They have some contracts coming up, and you wouldn’t want to unsettle them since they could become genuine stars,” Bartel commented.

“Wanganeen-Milera is a player every club in the competition would be eager to sign.”

“If you’re his agent and you hear there’s $1.7 million available, you’d come back to negotiate, not for the same amount, but to ensure fair compensation.”

“It’s crucial for the Saints to maintain the cohesion of their young core to attract further talent.”

Currently, St Kilda has lost two consecutive matches and will be facing Brisbane at Marvel Stadium on Saturday afternoon.