ST KILDA has landed key defender Jake Carlisle while maintaining a position in the first round of next month’s National Draft after securing a trade with Essendon and the Sydney Swans.

The Saints will acquire the recently turned 24-year-old Carlisle and the Swans’ pick No.14 in exchange for pick No.5 (to Essendon) and No.24 (to Sydney). The deal also involves an exchange of picks and players between Essendon and Sydney.

St Kilda Chief Operating Officer Ameet Bains said the Saints were delighted to welcome 198cm Carlisle to the club on a four-year deal.

“At his best Jake is an elite key defender and we are thrilled to have him join the Saints,” Bains said.

“We were adamant right from the start that we wanted to secure Jake but it had to be the right deal for the club, something agreed with Jake and his management up front. We feel that we have achieved that by retaining a first round pick at the National Draft.”

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Bains said fans would be excited at the prospect of the 85-game defender forming a long-term partnership with Hugh Goddard among others.

“Securing Jake helps us fill a significant need in our list – a key defender – and is in line strategically with our list management objectives.

“We are very excited to have also secured a deal for Collingwood’s Nathan Freeman, which also helps address a need for a midfielder with elite speed and endurance."

Yesterday St Kilda traded its 2016 second round pick to Collingwood, while also swapping pick 63 for the Magpies’ pick 68, in exchange for 2013 top 10 draft pick Freeman.

“The fact that we can bring Jake and Nathan to our club while still keeping a position in the first round of the draft is a wonderful outcome for St Kilda,” Bains said.

St Kilda now has picks 14, 45, 68, 81, 99 and 117 in November's National Draft.