ST KILDA should not recruit a ‘big fish’ purely for the sake of it, with Fox Footy analyst and dual premiership player David King urging the Saints to play it smart at the trade table.

King said he “doesn’t see the value” in St Kilda recruiting a player like West Coast free agent Andrew Gaff, claiming he doesn’t believe it will equate to immediate improvement.

Instead, he believes the Saints should target role players and should only spend large amounts of salary cap space if that player will help them rise “four or five spots” on the ladder.

Speaking on the Fox Footy Podcast, King said the tactic of spending for the sake of it has haunted clubs in the past — and has stressed why St Kilda must be wise with its money.

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“How did that philosophy work for Collingwood for five or six years?” King asked.

“That doesn’t work. I don’t think it’s right. That’s playing SuperCoach. It’s not being wise.

“Sydney had great success because they targeted a role for a particular player and they found that player, regardless of the cost. They went and got him. Hawthorn’s the exact same.

“You’ve got to have a role for the player, they’ve got to be able to impact and, once that spot is sorted, they’ve got to help drive you up the ladder.

“I’m not convinced that Andrew Gaff is the player who is going to drive St Kilda four or five spots up the ladder and maybe even six or seven.”