The two clubs doing "nothing" to entice next year's hottest target

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is already positioned as the hottest commodity of the 2027 AFL Trade Period.

However, Tim Watson believes two of the major players in the Nasiah sweepstakes aren't doing nearly enough to earn the free agent's signature.

His current club, St Kilda, haven't improved within the trade space despite entering their last season under Ross Lyon - and potentially Nasiah's last year as a Saint.

While Adelaide, who remain well and truly in the mix given Nasiah's expected desire to return home, have failed to add a single name to their list in this current player movement window.

The lack of bravery at the trade table has concerned Watson, particularly noting St Kilda's potential regression ahead of next season.

“We know now that Rowan Marshall has been traded to Geelong. He is their number one ruckman,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.

“On all of the measurements this year, all the statistics, he was their best performing ruckman. Not the best ruckman in the competition, but St Kilda’s best, so they will miss him.

“Are they a better team with him or without him? It leads me to this conversation around Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

“Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will be again, a massive story next year in this trade period, because he only signed a two-year deal. St Kilda, in all that they do, they are trying to sell their football club and the future of their football club to Nas.

“He hung on there for another two years. The same conversation is going to go on again next year. You’ve got Tasmania coming in there – they will be throwing a heap of money at him.

“St Kilda, right now, have got to try and show him that they are on the cusp of probably being able to go from where they are now, to being a top six, maybe top eight side.

“Hopefully Max King comes back into their lineup and gives them more firepower in the forward line, but they will be selling him as hard as they possibly can, that this is the future for you.

“Then you’ve got the Adelaide Crows. In this trade period, they have done nothing. Look at Geelong and what they’ve been able to add to their team.

“Then look at the Adelaide Crows… what have they added? In a meaningful way, what have they added to their team so that they can compete at a higher level next year?

“Maybe they are just saving all of their firepower for Nas, and maybe they are, but they are not going to be the only suitor for Nas next year. They are going to be competing against possibly everyone!

“There’s a whole heap of clubs that are going to have money next year, they are going to be loaded up, they are not going to want to go to the draft because that is going to be diluted significantly by Tasmania coming into the competition.

“So, these players are going to be more valuable next year.”

Nasiah's manager, Ben Williams of Players Ink Sports Management, positioned his superstar talent brilliantly.

Out of contract at the end of the 2025 season, Williams struck a deal with St Kilda to keep Nasiah at the club on a lucrative two-year, $4 million deal.

It was a deal that allowed Nasiah to remain a Saint under Ross Lyon, making significant money while positioning his contract expiration alongside Tasmania's entry into the AFL.

If the Saints proved a worthy home, Wanganeen-Milera could then choose to re-sign with the club. Alternatively, Tasmania could look to use a portion of their $5 million player bonus to attract the South Australian on one of the game's largest ever deals - if they see fit.

Tim Watson believes that now, following the departure of Rowan Marshall, the Saints are far from where they need to be to convince Nasiah to remain at the club.

“St Kilda have been trying to tell Nasiah that this is the place that you want to be, because with this young group of players that we are compiling around you, we are going to be in a position down the track that we are going to be competing for a flag,” Watson continued.

“I think they’ve taken a step back now. They are a better team with Rowan Marshall.

“They get Sam Marshall into the team from Brisbane, but he wasn’t playing for Brisbane. We’ve seen him play before and we know that he played in the Grand Final team in 2024, but he hasn’t been able to knock down the door there.

“He is an unknown quantity at the moment. They are still in that window of trying to prove to their number one player that this is the place that you want to continue your football.

“Ben Williams, his manager, did a really great thing for Nasiah. He got him a lot of money for two years - $2 million over two years - and then said, Tasmania are going to be out there, they are going to be throwing a lot more money around, so he is going to be in a great bargaining position again.

“Kept his form up, hasn’t lost anything as far as his reputation goes, and he is still going to be probably the most valuable commodity this time next year.”

St Kilda's lack of improvement hasn't been for a lack of trying - last season, acquisitions of Tom De Koning, Jack Silvagni, Liam Ryan and Sam Flanders held them in good stead to rise up the table.

That said, a measly 11th-place finish was far from what the club desired.

Amid this year's player movement period, the Saints successfully held out for Pick 14 in exchange for Rowan Marshall, while launching a serious bid for Nick Blakey before his commitment to North Melbourne.

Approaching deadline day, St Kilda's solo acquisition remains Brisbane's Sam Marshall.