Trade talk: St Kilda looking to poach out-of-contract defender

St Kilda are at the front of the queue for out-of-contract Port Adelaide defender Miles Bergman, according to SEN’s Sam Edmund.

Bergman, who has played 85 games for the Power since being taken with Pick 14 in the 2019 Draft, is said to be weighing up a return home to Melbourne this off-season.

After originally targeting him two years ago alongside Collingwood, Edmund says that the Saints are having another ‘massive crack’ at the bayside product with the club confident that they can get him to commit to a move this time around.

Edmund says that other Victorian rivals have been told that the Saints sit at the front of the queue for the 23-year-old should he choose to come home.

“A lot of clubs at the moment are going have to give way it would appear to St Kilda when it comes to a key out-of-contract defender,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“The Saints, you've got to admire them, they just continue to throw some big punches in the player movement space. 

“We know the names - Tom De Koning, LDU (Luke Davies-Uniacke), Zach Merrett, Finn Callaghan, Jacob Weitering, Andrew Brayshaw, the list goes on and on. But they've repeatedly been left at the altar.

“But we can absolutely introduce Miles Bergman into this conversation. He’s 23 years of age and a very good versatile defender and could play roles further up the field. 

“He’s out of contract, and two years ago St Kilda and Collingwood had a real go at him, he chose to stay even though the lure of home remains.

“The Saints are having another massive crack at Miles Bergman who played for the Hampton Rovers and went to St Bede’s Mentone, and the Saints are confident. 

“My information is that other clubs have also been given an indication that the Saints sit front and centre of the queue for Miles Bergman. They're in Oscar Piastri’s pole position.”

While the Power are still hopeful that he could choose to remain at Alberton, Edmund believes that the Saints would be both disappointed and shocked if they couldn’t land Bergman the second time around.

“Port Adelaide, for their part, are hopeful, but hopeful only,” Edmund added.

“Miles got engaged late last year and he’s settled in Adelaide and has a strong relationship with both Ken (Hinkley) and Josh Carr, who’s about to take over. But the lure very much remains to return home. 

“He is a player, though, that likes to take his time with his contracts, so, if later in the year he does decide to get home and it's not St Kilda, there will be a decent queue.

“But I think absolutely the Saints at the moment would be disappointed or shocked almost if they couldn’t land Miles Bergman.”

Bergman has started the 2025 season in strong fashion averaging seven marks and 18 disposals a game for the Power.