St Kilda reap first-round pick for losing the Battle

Harry Perryman joined Collingwood on a six-year deal, with GWS receiving a first-round pick (currently pick No.25) for the 25-year-old.

Elliott Himmelberg joined Gold Coast from Adelaide on a three-year deal as an unrestricted free agent, with the Crows not receiving any compensation for the 26-year-old.

St Kilda were the big winners on Friday when the AFL determined Battle was worth a first-round compensation pick for the Saints after he joined Hawthorn on a six-year deal as an unrestricted free agent.

First day for Josh, Casey, Billie + Bobbi 🥹— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) Thrilled to have you all apart of the family club 💛 pic.twitter.com/3ZXoYub6nROctober 4, 2024

That pick currently sits at No.8 for St Kilda, meaning the Saints' first three picks for this year's national draft are No.7, No.8 and No.25.

Battle played 123 games over eight seasons for the Saints after being snared with pick No.39 in the 2016 national draft.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a career-best campaign in 2024, ranking sixth overall in the AFL for marks per game, as well as second among key defenders in uncontested possessions.

Battle's strong form earned him a third placing in St Kilda's best-and-fairest this year.

More importantly for the Saints, Battle's strong form, age, and lengthy deal at Hawthorn convinced the AFL that St Kilda deserved a first-round pick as compensation.

The decision to award St Kilda such a valued compensation came just days after Saints president Andrew Bassat criticised the AFL's draft system, most notably the unfair nature of the father-son and academy selections.

"It's not a level playing field, as we know," Bassat said at the club's best and fairest award on Monday.

"The system is designed to favour the wealthier clubs and it's designed to favour the northern clubs, and our role is meant to be just to make up the numbers and not complain about it."

Despite joining a Hawthorn outfit that will start next year as one of the premiership favourites, Battle still struggled with the decision to leave St Kilda.

Josh Battle said leaving St Kilda was the toughest decision of his life. (Morgan Hancock/AAP PHOTOS)

"It is the toughest decision I've ever had to make in my life," Battle told the AFL website.

"To leave my teammates, who I have a great relationship with and worked with over the last eight years, it was very hard to leave."

GWS defender Isaac Cumming is set to join the Crows, while fellow Giants backman Nick Haynes will link up with Carlton as an unrestricted free agent.

Richmond free agent Jack Graham is expected to join West Coast, who appointed former Tigers assistant Andrew McQualter as their new senior coach this week.