This was published 6 months ago
No conflict: Saints say SOS played no role in Jack Silvagni’s recruitment
Updated ,first published
St Kilda say list manager Stephen Silvagni played no role in the Saints’ pursuit and acquisition of his son Jack, who will join the club a free agent on a five-year contract worth about $4 million.
The 27-year-old decided on Wednesday to continue his career with the Saints, where his Carlton legend dad is list manager, after having a medical on Tuesday.
The Magpies and Bulldogs offered four-year deals worth close to $650,000 to Silvagni, who showed his ability as a defender in 13 matches with the Blues in 2025.
St Kilda football manager David Misson responded to questions from this masthead over Stephen Silvagni’s involvement in the club’s recruiting of his son after the club confirmed Jack move to Moorabbin.
He said senior coach Ross Lyon and player acquisition manager Graeme Allan drove the process as part of list management, with Silvagni recusing himself from any discussion about Jack.
“From the outset, Gubby [Allan] drove the initial interest,” Misson explained.
“Ross watched more of Jack’s games. The game against [Western Bulldogs forward Aaron] Naughton he loved. We then did a deep dive on Jack’s game and analytics as well as watching him. We were really impressed. Along the whole process, SOS [Stephen Silvagni] wasn’t involved in any meeting, negotiation or discussion and excused himself whenever Jack was brought up.”
Jack Silvagni also had a four-year offer in front of him from Carlton, but told the Blues last week he wanted to exercise his free-agency rights.
He will join Blues teammate Tom De Koning at the Saints after the former ruckman agreed to an eight-year deal worth between $1.7 and $1.8 million a year.
Faced with a player exodus, the Blues have rejected a trade request from spearhead Charlie Curnow, but he could still leave if a suitable trade can be struck.
The size of St Kilda’s offer to Silvagni is likely to mean the Blues receive a compensation pick at the end of the first round, which is higher than what they had anticipated when Silvagni declared his intention to leave. The Blues will also receive a first round pick for De Koning.
Silvagni, the son of Stephen and grandson of Sergio who are both Carlton Football Club Hall of Fame Legends, is departing the club after 10 seasons. Both Stephen and Sergio played in Carlton premierships and the name Silvagni is synonymous with Carlton. He impressed as a defender in 2025 after returning from a knee reconstruction and restricted star forward Naughton to just six touches in round three in the match that piqued the Saints’ interest.
Jack Silvagni’s career at Carlton started when he was added to the list as a father-son recruit with pick 53 in the 2015 national draft. Stephen played 312 games and won two premierships at Carlton. He was also named at full-back in the AFL Team of the Century in 1996. Jack’s grandfather Sergio also played in two flags in his 239-game career with the Blues after making his debut in 1958.
St Kilda announced Silvagni’s decision in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
“We’re very pleased that Jack has nominated St Kilda as the club where he wishes to continue his career. As Jack is an unrestricted free agent, he will be entitled to accept our offer once formally submitted during the free agency window in October,” the Saints said in the statement.
The Saints’ recruiting spree has gathered pace after they re-signed star midfielder Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera on a two-year deal worth $2 million a season with the Giants’ Leek Aleer and West Coast’s Liam Ryan also likely to become Saints in the upcoming trade period. Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders is also being targeted.
Silvagni and De Koning join Saints Liam Stocker and Paddy Dow as former Carlton players who joined the Blues during Stephen Silvagni’s time as list manager, from 2014-2019. Stephen Silvagni was the Giants’ recruiting manager from 2011-2014. He became the Saints’ list manager in 2023.
St Kilda also attempted to recruit the Blues’ Brodie Kemp in last year’s trade period and reportedly made an informal offer to Jacob Weitering when he was out of contract in 2024.
St Kilda finished 12th in 2025 and have pick 7 in the national draft heading into the trade period.
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