The clock is now running on Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's AFL future.
At Wednesday night's end to the trade period, St Kilda football boss Lenny Hayes fielded questions about what might happen to Wanganeen-Milera in a year's time.
He and Max Hall are major re-signing priorities for the Saints. Hall finished third and Wanganeen-Milera was fourth this season in club best-and-fairest voting.
A year ago, Wanganeen-Milera rejected massive interest from his native South Australia to re-sign on a two-season, $4 million deal. That made him the AFL's first $2 million player.
St Kilda said at the time - and Hayes repeated it on Wednesday night - that it was up to the club to convince players including Wanganeen-Milera and Hall they should stay at Moorabbin.
The Saints finished 11th this season and the pressure is building for a finals return under coach Ross Lyon.
A deal with Wanganeen-Milera was not struck until late in the 2025 season.
"We're really comfortable where those (current) discussions are," Hayes said. "We're not going to put a timeline on that and Max Hall is probably the other one.
"They're obviously going to be priorities for us.
"I'm really confident that both of those guys believe in the direction of our footy club."
Hayes was asked about the inevitable interest again from Port Adelaide and Adelaide in Wanganeen-Milera.
"Like any of our good players, there are going to be other clubs interested," Hayes said.
"Nas is one of the best players in the competition."
Meanwhile, Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie admits there was a risk in having traded to secure injury-plagued Essendon defender Jordan Ridley.
He only managed seven games this season but when fit, Ridley is a damaging player off half-back.
Geelong were again major players in the trade period, recruiting GWS captain Toby Greene as a free agent and giving up draft pick No.14 for St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall.
"Clearly there have been injury issues ... hopefully a change of scenery can really help that," Mackie said of Ridley.
"At times, it's simple as you go to a different environment and things change.
"There's an element of risk ... it's hard to know, there's a body of work that will need to go into setting himself up for the remaining part of his career.
"He's only 27, so if we get it right, we feel there's plenty of footy left in him."
