Pick 25 might be used to secure Lions ruckman Billy Longer from Brisbane, whom the Saints met this week and are keenly pursuing. St Kilda is likely to also secure out-of-contract North Melbourne defender Luke Delaney and is attempting to claim young Giants key back Josh Bruce. The Dal Santo move came on the final day of free agency when the much anticipated awarding of compensation picks was finally revealed. The AFL confirmed that Hawthorn and Collingwood would receive compensation draft picks after their first-round selections for the loss of Lance Franklin (19) and Dale Thomas (11). Melbourne was given a second-round draft pick (23) for Colin Sylvia's move to Fremantle.

Hawthorn and Richmond did not receive compensation picks for losing Xavier Ellis and Matthew White because of the players' ages and the contracts they were offered at their new clubs. Ellis was secured in the same draft as Thomas so it was on the basis of his relatively inferior contract that the Hawks were denied the draft pick. St Kilda and Dal Santo agreed not to act on a trigger clause in his existing contract that could have required him to be re-signed for next season had either party demanded a new contract. Dal Santo could then transfer to North as a free agent rather than through trading, much to the chagrin of rival clubs. Essendon had also been in the hunt for Dal Santo but the midfielder opted for the Kangaroos where he has been offered a three-year deal. St Kilda's head of football Chris Pelchen said the deal was ''beneficial to both [Dal Santo] and St Kilda''.