AFL trade: Have St Kilda Saints put $8 million deal to GWS Giant Dylan Shiel?

Mick Stirling

AFL trade: Have St Kilda Saints put $8 million deal to GWS Giant Dylan Shiel? image

Contracted Greater Western Sydney midfielder Dylan Shiel has reportedly got an offer on the table from St Kilda that would make him one of the highest-paid players in the AFL.

According to Damien Barrett, the Saints have put forward a contract of more than $8 million over six years, an amount that in raw terms puts him right at the top of the league’s pay scale.

“Of the four Melbourne clubs Dylan Shiel is now engaging with, the biggest offer ... is from St Kilda,” Barrett told Channel Nine's The Trade Table on Monday night.

“It’s at a rate of more than $8 million over a six-year offer. It’s clearly the biggest financial offer that he’s got.”

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If the numbers are accurate, Shiel would be on $1.33 million per season, more than Dustin Martin’s seven-year deal at Richmond and Lance Franklin’s game-changing nine-year contract that lured the full forward to Sydney.

However, despite the ridiculous amount of money, Barrett believes Shiel is more likely to choose Hawthorn as his next home, even though the Hawks are offering around $900,000 a year – more than $2 million less over the period of the deal.

“I still believe that when this is all played out it will be Hawthorn’s offer that’s the best straight football case that he answers.”

Shiel is still contracted to the Giants through to the end of next season, but salary cap issues and his qualification as a free agent in 2019 is making it likely GWS will move to get a trade done this year.



The Giants are also dealing with Rory Lobb’s desire to return home to Western Australia, with the ruckman having already spoken to both West Coast and Fremantle.

And second-year midfielder Will Setterfield is attracting attention from Victorian clubs, although it is unlikely GWS will release the number five draft pick from his contract early.

Setterfield’s two years on the Giants’ list have been cruelled by injuries. If he can get his body right, the 20-year-old from Albury will be the logical replacement for the almost-certainly departing Shiel.

Mick Stirling