ST KILDA is set to announce a major coup with Paddy McCartin on the verge of signing a contract extension until the end of 2020.

Only minor details remain before the deal is officially ratified and made public.

McCartin was due to come out of contract at the end of 2018 and there were murmurs the Cats were circling to line up a trade for him to partner and eventually replace Tom Hawkins.

But St Kilda always refuted these suggestions and has reaffirmed its strong commitment to the 21-year-old by tying him up before his contractual situation could become a talking point in the winter months.

Round 18

After setting a personal best in the club’s 3km time trial in early November, McCartin suffered a mid-foot strain and was put on a modified training program until Christmas.

This minor setback is not expected to hamper him as the home and away season approaches and he will integrate into the main group over the next week.

“I’m feeling really confident and so are the doctors and everyone I have spoken to that I am going to be fine and I’m really looking forward to next year,” McCartin told reporters in late November.

Paddy McCartin. (AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy) Source: AAP

Of bigger concern is the former No. 1 draft pick’s history with head knocks. He has been concussed six times, the last of which was in June and ended his 2017 season.

Although the club conceded he could have returned late in the year, they opted against taking any risks with their highly valued key forward.

A contract extension was floated in the latter stages of 2017 by both McCartin and former chief operating officer Ameet Bains, but the player’s immediate focus remained on getting his body in shape for a tilt at a full season without Nick Riewoldt.

The vacancy left by St Kilda’s longest serving captain sees McCartin nicely placed to slot into Alan Richardson’s best 22 for Round 1 alongside Josh Bruce and Tim Membrey.

Last year the Saints were resistant to playing all four in the same forward-line, which saw Josh Bruce spend three weeks in the VFL midway through the season.

McCartin has booted 22 goals in 22 senior games since debuting against Collingwood in Round 3, 2015.

The club selected him over Christian Petracca because it believed while both were talented juniors, key forwards were harder to come by than midfielders and they would eventually need someone to fill Riewoldt’s shoes.

That time is now and the impending contract announcement is another indication the club is confident its most recent No. 1 pick can reach lofty heights once he gets his body right.

An official announcement is expected as early as next week.