Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Geelong recruit Rowan Marshall didn’t feel comfortable attending St Kilda’s best and fairest and hasn’t spoken to former coach Ross Lyon since sealing his trade away from the Saints.
Elsewhere, with the free agency deadline on Friday, Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters (Western Bulldogs) and Gold Coast spearhead Ben King (Hawthorn) should soon have their own futures sorted.
Marshall unsuccessfully sought a trade to the Cats last year when St Kilda recruited Tom De Koning as their No.1 ruck.
But a deal could not be struck and the “shattered” ruckman had to return to the Saints, before putting in a fresh trade request this year.
After plenty of posturing from both sides, Geelong on Thursday paid up this year’s first-round selection, currently pick No.14, for Marshall and St Kilda’s 2028 third-round selection.
It followed Marshall choosing not to attend the Trevor Barker Award on Monday night, news of which broke earlier that day.
“I had no idea it would blow up like it did, to be honest,” Marshall said on Friday.
“And reality is I just didn’t feel comfortable at the time.”
Pressed on why, Marshall said: “Oh, just a few different reasons, but just didn’t feel comfortable, probably having a lot of interactions with a lot of people.”
Asked whether he’d spoken to Lyon or football boss Lenny Hayes, Marshall, who was adamant he’d left St Kilda on good terms, said: “Not yet.
“I spoke to Lenny a little bit yesterday, but yeah, I’ll speak to Ross in the next couple of days.”
The ruckman was playing golf when the trade went through.
“(My game) was all over the shop the first five holes, and then got the message from Dave Trotter, my manager, and he said, “congratulations mate, you’re a Cat,'” Marshall said.
“And then freed up the swing a little bit and went on a pretty good patch from there.”
Marshall is joining Geelong with fellow boom recruits Toby Greene and Jordan Ridley.
He is adamant his best football is ahead of him and he can play with talented young ruckman Mitchell Edwards, 21.
“I think it’s going to work really well. I think we hopefully complement each other really well,” Marshall said.
Securing pick No.14 in addition to their own No.8 gives the Saints a window to launch a bid for Swan Nick Blakey.
The dashing half-back wants out but is contracted until the end of 2031.
The 2024 All-Australian was one of five players who served a club-imposed ban through the AFL finals for breaching the club’s behavioural standards at the Pullman Hotel in East Melbourne.
Any trade for Blakey would likely need to be approved by a club board, given the ongoing police investigation into an alleged sexual assault at the hotel.
No charges have been laid and AAP is not suggesting any wrongdoing.
North Melbourne appear in the box seat if Blakey, who also met with Geelong, St Kilda and Gold Coast, does request a trade.
Butters could move on Friday if the Bulldogs lodge free agency paperwork and Port accept the compensation pick, currently pick No.5.
Port and the Bulldogs are working through a potential multi-club deal on the side that would need to be approved by the AFL.
Gold Coast should secure Hawthorn pair Aidan Schubert and Sam Butler, easing the Suns’ call to accept a compensation pick (currently pick No.7) for King.
