Live: Wantaway Saints star boycotts best and fairest as Cats eye AFL trade
St Kilda ruck Rowan Marshall does not attend the Saints' best and fairest event as he tries to force through a trade to Geelong. Follow all the news and debate from the AFL trade period in our live blog.
On the opening day of the AFL trade period, St Kilda ruck Rowan Marshall skipped the Saints best and fairest ceremony to push for a trade to Geelong. The news was reported live by a sport blog which managed to capture the final moments of the event before shutting down. Earlier in the day, Hawthorn and Essendon had already secured a trade agreement in a surprising move that allowed both clubs to focus on other potential deals.
The deal saw Zach Merrett move from Essendon to Hawthorn in exchange for picks 15 and 25 and a 2028 second-round selection. Meanwhile, St Kilda celebrated its 2026 season and awarded Callum Wilkie his second best and fairest accolade, with Rowan Marshall notably absent. The club and the Cats are still negotiating his transfer, but this move might put some pressure on the Saints.
Despite finishing 10th in the B+F count, Marshall's absence at the event suggests he is still keen on leaving the Saints. The blog, which will be joined by its brother in trading Chris De Silva, promises to provide more updates, debates, and analyses on AFL trade and free agency throughout the day.
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