Melbourne have reportedly approached St Kilda captain Jack Steele in a late bid to lure him to the Demons before the trade period shuts.
The 29-year-old, who has been a cornerstone of the Saints midfield for nearly a decade, reaffirmed his commitment to Moorabbin earlier this month, but that hasn’t stopped Melbourne from testing the waters.
Foxfooty.com.au reports the Demons made contact this week to gauge Steele’s interest in a move, with the club facing a midfield exodus that could see both Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver depart by Wednesday afternoon. New coach Steven King is understood to be leading a major rebuild through the middle, looking to add experience and leadership to balance his on-ball brigade.
Melbourne’s midfield reset gathers pace
Steele, contracted until the end of 2027, would require significant salary cap manoeuvring if a deal were to be struck. Still, his defensive work rate and composure would make him an ideal fit in a Demons outfit suddenly short of proven ball-winners.
The Saints, meanwhile, have been busy reshaping their list, bringing in Sam Flanders, Tom De Koning, Jack Silvagni and Liam Ryan, moves that could subtly shift Steele’s role under Ross Lyon.
Despite the speculation, the two-time best and fairest has remained loyal to St Kilda, though he recently signalled a willingness to step back from sole captaincy duties after four seasons in the role.
With the deadline looming and trade whispers intensifying, Melbourne’s late play for Steele adds another twist to what’s been one of the busiest and boldest trade periods in years.