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Find your Sport Nation frequencyTrade talk: Giants coach worried about losing Saints target
SEN • July 18th, 2025 11:04 am
GWS coach Adam Kingsley is a little concerned about losing Leek Aleer this off-season.
The 23-year-old defender is out of contract at season’s end and has been the subject of a big-money offer from St Kilda.
After playing mainly VFL early in the season, Aleer broke into GWS’ side in Round 11 and has impressed majorly down back since.
With the Saints’ reported four-year $3 million deal expected to blow GWS’ offer away, Kingsley admitted that he is worried that money might get the defender to leave a club that he loves being a part of.
“Yeah, a little bit (worried), we think he's going to be an extremely good player for a long period of time,” Kingsley said on SEN Breakfast.
“He’s only a young fella, he's so versatile, can play tall, can play small.
“So, we're a little bit worried, but all we can do is put a contract in front of him and convince him that the Giants is the place for him to be.
“He loves being at the footy club, but it won't be a decision around whether he enjoys his time here or not.”
Given that it feels almost inevitable that the former first-round pick will head to Moorabbin this off-season, SEN Breakfast duo Kane Cornes and David King spoke about what difference he could make at St Kilda in 2026.
Both King and Cornes think that Aleer will be a great pickup for Ross Lyon’s side should he choose the Saints.
Cornes: “They don't lose many. This would be a big loss.”
King: “This is the way they've been set up, isn't it? They generally get something pretty strong back and build again. It's been a constant cycle because they've been so well set up in the initial phase.
“He's improving every week, isn't he? He’s getting more confident.”
Cornes: “He’s only played 20 games.”
King: “Every time you see him, you go, ‘Oh yeah, he’s a player’.
“He knows what his capabilities are… he’s got nuts and bolts to his game and he's a big frame.”
Cornes: “So, if the Saints get him, which it sounds like they might, I just want to say that is an excellent recruit.
“That is the right player for them to go and target at the right age. It’s perfect.
“I think it just changes the makeup of what Wilkie can be the whole of their back six. So, I think that would be a huge get.
“They have to pay to get him. But I don't think the salary's going to worry them too much in terms of the freedom that they've got there, as we've seen.
“De Koning and Aleer come in, that’s a couple of really good additions to that team.”
Listen to Kingsley’s full chat with Cornes and King here.
