Saints well-placed at No.4 at AFL draft

St Kilda are open to trading the fourth overall pick at the AFL draft, which could prove a valuable and sought-after bargaining chip.

St Kilda are pondering how to make best use of a prime draft pick to boost their roster in 2019. (AAP)

St Kilda are faced with an enviable quandary ahead of the AFL draft.

Should they retain the No.4 pick and secure a potential superstar or sell it at a premium and add two potential superstars?

There's a bit to play out before they have to make that decision - if they have to at all - but the Saints are well-placed to make the most of the new rules that allow live trading of picks while the draft is underway.

Carlton (pick No.1) and Gold Coast (Nos. 2 and 3) appear set to stay where they are which - depending on the talent still available - could make St Kilda's pick an extremely valuable and sought-after asset.

Their next pick isn't until No.36, so to parlay one top-end pick into two in a draft widely regarded as the best in years would be extremely tempting.

The Saints have made it clear the selection is on the table but they're only willing to move back to pick six overall, with the sweetener another pick inside the top 15.

That's an eye-watering price to pay but if either of South Australian young guns Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine are still on the board then Adelaide or the Power or both could be tempted to make a bold play.

"We think that we'll be able to get a potentially elite player in that top six," new Saints list manager James Gallagher explained to AAP.

"So we'd like to keep a pick in that (bracket) and then we'd need another early pick to consider a move from four to six because you do lose a bit of control of your own destiny.

"We've had really preliminary chats with the two Adelaide clubs but that hasn't progressed far at all. The reality is that we will get a special player with pick No.4."

That player could be imposing key forward Max King.

At 204cm, King has a rare combination of power and athleticism that would have made him the hot favourite to go No.1 had he not suffered a season-ending knee injury in April.

There's an obvious link with the Saints given King, a fan of the club, completed parts of his rehab at Moorabbin.

"He's an exceptional talent ... a very bright prospect," Gallagher said.

"You can't help but be impressed with the sheer size of the guy and watching footage of him his athleticism and the performances when fit.

"The injury has got to come into your thinking. But the reality is without that we aren't having a conversation about Max King because he's probably gone at No.1."