Carlton's audacious bid to take over North Melbourne is part of football folklore, but not so well known is the Blues' bid to buy the Saints.

The late Travis Payze, a former St Kilda president, is quoted in the book Strength Through Loyalty detailing a conversation Lindsay Fox, the trucking magnate and also a former club president, had with former Carlton bosses Ian Collins and John Elliott when the Blues attempted to poach Saints superstars Tony Lockett and Nicky Winmar.

Tony Lockett in action for St Kilda.

''I got called into Foxy's office and he had someone on the phone,'' Payze said. ''Ian Collins and John Elliott were asking what was our debt. I said two million or whatever it was. They said, 'Don't pay the debt'. Wear the St Kilda crest on the navy blue jumper and they'd get Lockett and Winmar. This was going to be the great merger! You can imagine how long the St Kilda badge would have lasted!''