WHILE West Coast remains adamant it will not entertain a trade for Mitch Brown, St Kilda is still hopeful that a deal can be struck for the tall defender before today's trade deadline. The Saints have offered pick 25 and small forward midfielder Jamie Cripps for Brown, who is contracted to the Eagles for next year but has asked the club for a trade to the Saints.

St Kilda holds out hope a deal can be done if the Eagles can find a replacement back-up tall defender.

Eagle Mitch Brown leaves the field injured. Credit:Sebastian Costanzo

The Eagles are eager to secure Cripps, who is uncontracted and wants to play at West Coast, but the they have refused to tie Brown into a trade. St Kilda has thus far insisted it would be prepared to lose Cripps to the draft.

Brown's manager, Liam Pickering, said pick 25 and Cripps was a fair trade for his client and urged a deal to be done.