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Sport Nation
Trade Talk: Young Saints mid tipped to leave Moorabbin for rival Victorian club
SEN • September 7th, 2025 12:20 pm
Out of contract Saint Marcus Windhager is reportedly leaning towards leaving and heading for Melbourne as the Free Agency window edges closer to it’s opening day.
Speaking on SEN’s Finey’s Final Siren, host Mark Fine reported that the 22-year-old is not happy with the contract offer that’s been put in front of him by the Saints and has thus decided to explore his options elsewhere.
“I can tell you that as we sit here tonight, Marcus Windhager will not be playing for the St Kilda Football Club next year unless they are able to convince him otherwise and offer him a contract that is well in excess of what is currently being offered by the club,” Finey said on SEN’s Finey’s Final Siren.
“Now you may have read a number of reports about where he will be playing next year. North Melbourne has been mentioned, Essendon has been mentioned.
“I can tell you, on this program, that Marcus Windhager as we sit here tonight is bound for the Melbourne Football Club.”
“St Kilda will have to move heaven and earth to keep the power midfielder and tagger at Moorabbin.”
“I can tell you as a St Kilda supporter, earth they should move.”
Finey, who is a Saints supporter himself expressed his disappointment with the reported decision.
He explained that the significance of Windhager leaving the Saints going into 2026, as they are already in the market for a plethora of players in order to fast track their return to finals football.
“There are no other players like Windhager at St Kilda. He is the big bodied midfielder that St Kilda and all clubs crave,” Finey said.
“And certainly his loss, from a midfield that already needs bolstering, would put a severe dent in the ambitions of the ambitious St Kilda Football Club next year, who’s recruiting spree won’t amount to too much if their midfield loses another key component.
“Don’t forget that Marcus Windhager this year was tasked with a number of tagging jobs, which he did with a plomb.
“And when let off the leash in the last month of football, was amassing 30 plus possessions every game.
“(He’s) not a player a club like St Kilda should be losing but I can tell you tonight, do not bother about what you’ve read, it’s the Melbourne Football Club that have their hand on the till as it were ready to cash in and pickup Marcus Windhager.”
St Kilda have been linked with multiple players this season who will be reportedly leaving their current clubs to join the emerging side at Moorabbin in 2026.
West Coast’s Liam Ryan reportedly has expressed his desire to be traded to St Kilda, whilst Carlton’s Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni have both reportedly agreed to make the switch once Free Agency opens on October 3.
They’ve also been linked to trying to convince Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders and Hawthorn’s Cameron Mackenzie out of their clubs in a trade, in order to help bolster their midfield going into 2026.
Windhager enjoyed a breakout year with the Saints this season, averaging a career high in disposals (22.2), tackles (3.3) and clearances (2.9) which has attracted the interest of multiple clubs.
Windhager has reportedly been offered four-year deals from multiple opposition clubs, with St Kilda’s two-year deal sparking the interest from him to consider other options as he looks for more long term security on his career.
