Hawks, Saints make tough AFL calls

Hawthorn and St Kilda are among the AFL clubs to make some tough calls on their playing squads ahead of the list lodgment deadline.

Hawthorn premiership player Jonathan Simpkin and St Kilda veteran Farren Ray were among the casualties as AFL clubs trimmed their squads ahead of Friday's list lodgment deadline.

Simpkin was the Hawks' substitute in their 2013 grand final win against Fremantle but only managed one game this season despite excellent form in the VFL where he won Box Hill's best-and-fairest award.

The 28-year-old played four games for Geelong in 2012 before racking up another 33 with Hawthorn, who won the flag in each of his three years at the club.

The Hawks also farewelled three other premiership players at the end of this season, with David Hale and Brian Lake announcing their retirements and Matt Suckling signing with the Western Bulldogs as a free agent.

The Saints cut Ray and Josh Saunders from their senior list and dropped Ahmed Saad from their rookie list.

However, Ray's 205-game AFL career might not be over, with the club open to selecting the 29-year-old in the rookie draft if he is available.

Ray was the fourth overall pick by the Bulldogs at the 2003 draft. He played 75 games with the Dogs before crossing to St Kilda where he was a regular contributor, playing in the club's grand final sides in 2009 and 2010.

Saad managed four games this season after being re-drafted by the Saints following the completion of an 18-month ban for testing positive to a banned substance.

In other list news, luckless Fremantle utility Anthony Morabito has been delisted by the Dockers but will be picked up in the rookie draft by the club if he's available.

Morabito has undergone three knee reconstructions in six years with the Dockers.

West Coast have parted ways with Brant Colledge, Alec Waterman and Murray Newman, but will rookie-list Colledge and Waterman if the opportunity presents.

Carlton nominated Jack Silvagni, son of current list manager Stephen, as an eligible father-son recruit and will attempt to add him to their list on draft night.

AFL clubs were required to trim their squads by Friday's deadline in order to have a minimum of three picks at November's national draft.


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Source: AAP


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