Why Silvagni’s defection to St Kilda is the latest twist in family’s feud with Carlton

By leaving Carlton, Jack Silvagni finally had the chance to move out of the shadow of the family name, only to sign with the club where his father is the list manager.

Throughout his career, Silvagni has been subjected to the criticism he was in the AFL because of his pedigree rather than his performance.

The widespread interest for his services this year is proof that critique was off the mark, but his move to St Kilda reunites father and son from a football perspective.

Silvagni senior was the Carlton list manager when Jack was recruited as a father-son pick in 2015, and his team has now overseen the process that delivered Jack the most lucrative deal of his career and ensures he is a contracted player to the age of 32.

As this masthead explained in March this year in a series titled ‘The 30-year Blues’, Stephen Silvagni’s removal as Blues list boss in December 2019 was attributed to the club hierarchy’s view that he could not continue in the role while he had a pair of sons, Jack and Ben, on the club list. It was a call made by Carlton’s then-chief executive Cain Liddle, whom Silvagni felt had trod on his list management turf.

While recruiting and list management circles were abuzz over perceptions of a conflict of interest in the hours after news broke that Jack had chosen St Kilda as his new home, the Saints are adamant they had acted appropriately, saying Stephen had recused himself from discussions and contract negotiations relating to his son.

“From the outset, Gubby [Graeme Allan] drove the initial interest. Ross watched more of Jack’s games,” St Kilda football boss David Misson told this masthead.

“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.”

St Kilda’s five-year offer of about $800,000 to $850,000 per season is longer in tenure and on better terms than their rivals, and could be worth $1.6 million more than the four-year deals put to him by Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, who both appear closer to a premiership than the Saints.

It continues the Saints’ spending spree, which has already netted Tom De Koning on an eight-year deal worth $1.8 million a season. They are also favourites to acquire up-and-coming Greater Western Sydney defender Leek Aleer and veteran West Coast small forward Liam Ryan, and also have their eye on Gold Coast star Sam Flanders.

Silvagni’s signature does not come without risk. His durability is a query. As pointed out by an X account run by Champion Data, since 2021 Silvagni has missed more games through injury than Essendon’s injury-prone star Jordan Ridley – 47 to 33.

And the sample size for Silvagni the defender is limited to about a dozen games, having previously been used as a jack of all trades.

But the Saints, already riding high from Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera’s signature, now have reason to dream big for 2026 and beyond.

Silvagni strengthens their defence, providing the Saints with experienced support for backline stalwart Callum Wilkie. His job in blanketing Naughton impressed Ross Lyon – who is a hard and astute judge of a footballer – but also shows he can stop the topline forwards.

De Koning has the potential to be the best ruckman in the league. Mooted changes to the ruck rules will further help De Koning, who relies on his leap over wrestling.

Jack’s arrival at Moorabbin is another twist in the saga of the Silvagni family and Carlton.

Of the 23 players Stephen Silvagni recruited to Carlton in the five national drafts from 2015-19, only 10 remain in the AFL. Jack is the fourth to join St Kilda, following Paddy Dow, Liam Stocker, De Koning. The Saints also attempted to lure Brodie Kemp in an 11th-hour trade.

Remarkably, if Charlie Curnow leaves Ikon Park, there will be just as many of Stephen Silvagni’s draft picks at St Kilda as there are at Carlton next year.

Despite the heartache among some Carlton fans at losing a third-generation player, Silvagni’s defection stands to be a win-win.

Ironically, given the Silvagnis’ strained relationship with Carlton, Jack’s new contract raises the compensation the Blues will receive, placing them in the frame for a first-round pick. Together with the first-rounder for De Koning, they now have a decent draft hand to regenerate their list.

The league also has a new grudge match. The clash between Carlton and St Kilda will be popcorn viewing.

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