Departing St Kilda defender Josh Battle was told not to attend the club’s 2024 best and fairest on Monday night, amid tensions behind the scenes.
Battle, who has requested a trade to Hawthorn, finished third in the club’s Trevor Barker Award, but was not mentioned by any key stakeholders on the night.
It left Hawthorn great Campbell Brown baffled and disappointed at the Saints’ petty move.
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“While they would have desperately loved to have kept Josh Battle, who’s been a great player at St Kilda, in particular this year coming third in the best and fairest, I think it’s very immature of a footy club to uninvite a player,” Brown said on SEN Radio on Tuesday.
Saints president Andrew Bassat didn’t mention Battle, the club’s media team did not run any graphics to congratulate him on a third-place finish and captain Jack Steele brushed over the conversation.
St Kilda made mention of winner Callum Wilkie and runner-up Jack Sinclair all over their social media, but snubbed Battle.
Brown says the club was immature to ignore Battle’s efforts not only in 2024, but for his entire 123-game career with the Saints, which began in 2017.
“He’s had a bloody good year to run third in the best and fairest and I think for a president, coach and captain to refuse to acknowledge him on stage is pretty ordinary,” Brown said.
“Yes, he’s made the personal decision to leave clubs, but you honour the player, you respect the fact that he’s put in blood, sweat and tears over a long period of time.”
The clear snubbing of Battle followed president Bassat slamming the AFL’s draft system on the night.
“It’s not a level playing field, as we know,” he said at the club’s best and fairest.
“The system is designed to favour the wealthier clubs and it’s designed to favour the northern clubs, and our role is meant to be just to make up the numbers and not complain about it.”
The AFL trade period begins on Monday.
