AdminFormer AFL standout Brendan Fevola shared his experience of declining St Kilda’s offer and how close he came to signing with Collingwood.
The two-time Coleman Medallist from Carlton was made available for trade at the conclusion of the 2009 season, attracting interest from both the Saints and Magpies, but he ultimately signed with Brisbane. Fevola disclosed on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick that St Kilda’s proposal fell significantly short of his salary expectations, and Carlton was unwilling to engage in a trade with Collingwood and their president Eddie McGuire.
When questioned about the clubs pursuing him, Fevola remarked, “Yeah, they just didn’t have the funds! Seriously, I was set to join St Kilda. Nick Riewoldt called me and said, ‘Join the Saints, we need you for a flag, but it requires a $700,000 pay cut.’ I responded, ‘See ya, mate,’ and ended the call. “I was close to going to Collingwood, but Carlton wouldn’t trade with them. Eddie [McGuire] wanted me there. I opted for Brisbane, we finished near the bottom, while St Kilda and Collingwood faced off in the Grand Final that year. . . and then I found myself in a mental health facility! ”
Fevola, crowned Coleman Medallist for Carlton in 1999 with a remarkable 89 goals, was made available for trade by the Blues due to personal issues off the field. He was traded to Brisbane along with a second-round pick, with Carlton acquiring Lachlan Henderson and a first-round draft selection in return.
In 2010, Fevola scored 48 goals in 17 games for the Lions before being released by the club due to a series of off-field incidents.
Kieran Francis Kieran Francis serves as a senior editor at The Sporting News, located in Melbourne, Australia. He began his career at Sportal.com. au before being part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just before the 2018 World Cup, he was named the chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has since returned to The Sporting News, where his interests include football, AFL, poker, and cricket—when he isn’t on holiday.
Admin
