Report: SA club set to sign delisted St Kilda forward

SEN SA’s Jarrod Walsh is reporting that delisted St Kilda forward Isaac Keeler will sign with an SA-based AFL club for 2027.

While Walsh didn’t name whether that team was the Crows or Power, he is certain the 22-year-old will receive an AFL lifeline from one of the two clubs.

Keeler, who hails from South Australia and previously played for North Adelaide in the SANFL, is free to be picked up for nothing as a delisted free agent or Category B rookie spot (exclusively for First Nations players).

Walsh discussed Keeler’s best fit with Adelaide great Mark Bickley on SEN SA Breakfast.

Walsh: “There’s a young kid by the name of Isaac Keeler who was at the Saints; he was delisted by St Kilda a couple of weeks ago.

“It’s my understanding that he’ll be back in South Australia in 2027 playing for one of our two clubs.

“They can get him for nothing. Which club do you think suits him best?”

Bickley: “A bit of background: he was drafted at the end of 2022; he was a member of the Crows’ Next Generation Academy.

“Adelaide had full access to him and could have taken him… but they chose not to; I’d surmise that they didn’t think he was quite developed.

“He’s 198cm; he’s not really a ruckman, but more of a forward/second ruck.

“He played 13 games at the Saints in the last two years, but only two last year, so he’s just fallen out of favour.

“He lacks a little bit of aggression, but we know ruckmen and big key position players take a little bit longer.

“I think he’s more likely to be at Port Adelaide than Adelaide.”

After Bickley suggested Keeler is more likely to join the Power, the duo asked Port Adelaide list boss Jason Cripps where he sat on a potential Keeler recruitment.

“We’ve had some conversations with Isaac and his management group,” Cripps said on SEN SA Breakfast.

“He’s been delisted by St Kilda, but there’s a new rule around the Category B Rookie spot. We’re investigating that further and what that may look like with Isaac.

“That spot is around an Indigenous player in that list spot.”

Listen to Cripps’ full chat with Bickley and Walsh here.