St Kilda defender Callum Wilkie has spoken directly with Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge as speculation grows around his long-term commitment to the Saints.
SEN revealed the 29-year-old took a call from Beveridge over the weekend, with the discussion centring on a possible move to the Whitten Oval.
The Bulldogs are understood to be in the market for an experienced key back and have identified Wilkie as a prime target.
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big-money pitch on the table
The Dogs have already tabled a four-year contract worth around $1.1 million per season, with the club open to pushing that figure higher if Wilkie shows a willingness to switch. That number dwarfs his current deal at St Kilda, reportedly valued at around $750,000 annually despite his All-Australian honours and best and fairest recognition.
While Wilkie is contracted until the end of 2027 and remains in the frame to take over the Saints’ captaincy next season, frustration with the club’s direction in 2025 has raised questions about his satisfaction at Moorabbin.
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Ross Lyon, however, has brushed aside talk of unrest. “There’s a lot of half-baked stories, that’s what I see,” he told Channel 9 last month. “Callum Wilkie rang me, he goes, ‘I've never entertained leaving St Kilda, I love St Kilda, I love what we’re doing’. I think that speaks volumes.”
For now, the Saints hold firm, but the Bulldogs’ pursuit has placed one of the league’s most reliable defenders at the centre of a major trade storyline.