Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has raised concerns over St Kilda’s reported $800,000-per-season move for GWS defender Leek Aleer, warning it risks upsetting the balance within the club’s playing group.
Aleer, 23, is said to be on the verge of joining the Saints in the upcoming trade period, on a deal worth close to the salary of vice-captain and All-Australian key back Callum Wilkie.
Reports suggested Wilkie was unimpressed, though the defender has since clarified his position.
“That far off AFL football it’s not funny”
Lloyd told 3AW he could understand why Wilkie might feel disrespected by the figures.
“Leek Aleer is that far off AFL football it’s not funny. I thought he got exposed badly a couple of weeks ago … That’s one where you do have to be careful you don’t disrespect one of the most important players and an All-Australian player in Callum Wilkie. Where it sits with him, I’m not sure, but I can understand where he would feel a bit disrespected if Aleer is on anywhere near the money he’s on.”
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Geelong great Jimmy Bartel echoed the sentiment, stressing the importance of looking after existing talent. “The numbers being thrown around are quite extraordinary … make sure you look after the ones you’ve already got in your building and take care of them,” he said.
Wilkie, speaking to Channel Seven, attempted to cool the speculation.
“It was funny watching it all blow up, I guess, but I love St Kilda. I love playing here, I love being vice-captain, I love being a leader of this footy club … We just want the club to get better. I don’t want to leave. There won’t be a mass exodus from the footy club.”