ST KILDA has registered its interest in Essendon’s star defender Michael Hurley in the event the suspended All-Australian decides to leave the Bombers.

St Kilda club sources have confirmed that the Saints have spoken to Hurley’s management and flagged their interest in the backman, who is overseas and yet to declare whether he will remain with the Bombers next year.

The Saints view Hurley as fitting their needs for another key defender, despite their acquisition of his former teammate Jake Carlisle, who, like Hurley, is among the 17 current AFL players serving a season-long ban for doping offences.

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Round 18

Essendon, which has been optimistic about retaining Hurley this year, has made a long-term offer to the defender, who is already contracted to play for the club in 2017 and would have to be traded to find another club.

But the Saints have not made an approach over Michael Hibberd, the other suspended Essendon defender who is yet to declare if he wishes to stay at Essendon or seek a trade. Hibberd is being sought by Melbourne, which has met with Hibberd and open about its wish to recruit him. Hibberd is also contracted for 2017.

The Western Bulldogs also are expected to be a strong bidder for Hurley in the event that he seeks to leave Essendon. Hurley is viewed as little chance to consider leaving Victoria.

Michael Hurley (left) is overseas but has attracted interest from St Kilda. Source: Twitter

The AFL has discouraged rival clubs from trying to use legal avenues to have Hurley made into a virtual free agent on the grounds the Dons violated his contract in their 2012 injection program; the league has made plain that it would prefer Hurley to remain with Essendon next year as the club rebuilds from a traumatic period.

Essendon has already retained half of the 12 suspended players, with key position gun and free agent Cale Hooker’s re-signing viewed as the most crucial given his value, his influence among the playing group and the fact that he could have simply walked to another club without a trade.

Dyson Heppell, who had signed a long term deal last year, also recommitted to the Bombers, as did Tom Bellchambers, while Travis Colyer, David Myers and Heath Hocking all agreed to new contracts. Brent Stanton is yet to sign, but the club believes he will return and Jobe Watson, who is contracted for 2017, is yet to declare whether he will return.

Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell has worked hard to persuade the suspended dozen to return to the club and the Bombers have made a strong commitment to them by guaranteeing every one of the 12 a contract for 2017, in what the club sees as a club-building exercise.