St Kilda have met with recently delisted Hawthorn defender Ethan Phillips in an ironic attempt to replace Hawks free agent signing Josh Battle.

The Saints lost Battle to Hawthorn via free agency and missed out snaring Carlton’s Brodie Kemp in the dying stages of the AFL Trade period.

In recent days, Ross Lyon’s side has been linked with a move for delisted Melbourne stopper Adam Tomlinson as they look for defensive depth to cover Battle.

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With Battle and All Australian defender Tom Barrass both joining Hawthorn during the Trade period, The Sporting News understands St Kilda have shown an interest in Phillips and his former Hawk teammate Jai Serong.

While the Hawks made it clear Serong wasn’t available, the Saints have held a meeting with Phillips, who was officially delisted by Hawthorn on Friday.

Phillips, 25, would be a free swing for the Saints as key defensive depth after only playing one game in the brown and gold since joining as a rookie last season.

Prior to his AFL debut, Phillips was named in the VFL team of the year in 2022 while playing for Port Melbourne and won the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal for the competition’s best young player.

After deciding not trade for Port Adelaide ruckman Ivan Soldo during the AFL trade window, the Saints have also shown an interest in Western Australian ruckman Lachlan Blakiston, according to the West Australian.

The 26-year-old, standing at 204cm, has been one of the dominant ruckman in the WAFL for East Fremantle averaging 16 disposals and 33 hitouts a match in 2024.