St Kilda player Josh Battle blocked by AFL after making 'intriguing' request around daughter

St Kilda's Josh Battle has provided a massive hint that he's set to depart the club after a request involving his daughter was reportedly blocked by the AFL. Battle wanted to run through the club's banner alongside his little girl before Sunday’s match against Carlton at Marvel Stadium but because it is not a milestone game for the 25-year-old, the league knocked back his request.

Battle is at the centre of huge trade interest from Hawthorn, with The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reporting that Sam Mitchell's Hawks are "increasingly confident they have their man". It's understood the Hawks have tabled a six-year contract offer worth around $850,000 per season for the free agent Battle, who has been weighing up whether to join Mitchell at Hawthorn or stay at the Saints.

“You speak to the list bosses across the AFL community, they would say absolutely it is his last game,” Ralph said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle. “I think Hawthorn is increasingly confident they have their man. Sam Mitchell just finds a way to win these guys over, he was really confident early... it’s a six-year deal worth around $850,000. I’m confident it won’t trigger first-round compensation. If it was an end-of-first-round compensation pick that would come in at about 20.”

Battle's request to run through the banner with his daughter on Sunday would suggest he's already made up his mind about leaving St Kilda and wants to share in a special moment with his little girl before he departs the club. But as SEN’s Sam Edmund reported, the AFL does not sanction run-outs for players with their kids unless it is a milestone match or a special occasion for the player.

“The added layer of intrigue for me in this game lies in the fact that Josh Battle has asked St Kilda - and he did it earlier this week – if he can run through the banner on Sunday with his daughter,” Edmund said on SEN Captain’s Run. “Now, this is not a milestone game for Josh, in fact, upon closer inspection, it's Game 123.

“Now what we do know is that Josh Battle's been wrestling for some time over whether to entertain the personal advances of Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell and join the Hawks as an unrestricted free agent on a long-term deal. So, is it a farewell game of sorts? Is there another motivation? I don't pretend to know, I've asked St Kilda, but what I can tell you is that he has made this request. He did it a couple of days ago. You'll have your own thoughts. Intriguing game, intriguing request.”

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon unsure on Josh Battle's future

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon admits he has no idea where Battle will end up next year as the in-demand defender weighs up his future. The Saints have reportedly been preparing one final contract pitch to the 25-year-old and a beefed-up offer could mean St Kilda retain the 25-year-old free agent's services or force the Hawks to increase their bid, ensuring the Saints secure a first-round draft pick as compensation.

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"Josh has invested a lot in us, we've invested a lot in him, but I just let it play out," Lyon said on Friday. "He's playing great footy, we have a strong relationship, but at the end of the day it's a professional environment and there's mechanisms that people either avail themselves of or they don't. That'll all wash out but I'm really focused on the game (against Carlton on Sunday), as is Josh."

Lyon said Battle received votes in the Saints' best-and-fairest award last week for his role on Jeremy Cameron, and will have another big job against Carlton. The Blues will be without injured star forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay as they chase a result that would guarantee them a finals spot.

with AAP