Liam Henry's move to St Kilda that left a bitter Fremantle "disappointed" to surrender the Noongar/Wajuk and Walmadjari talent has come under scrutiny.
The request has been coming for more than two months after Henry held off penning a new AFL deal with the Dockers.
The 22-year-old told the club a month later of his intention to leave Western Australia for Victoria before a further 10 days on nominating Moorabbin as his final destination.
Given the club's heavy investment in Henry's development since the age of 15, and the extent they went to accumulate trade points to acquire the Next Generation Academy product, Dockers boss Peter Bell is expected to demand value compensation in return.
The No.9 selection in the 2019 draft played 27 games in his first three years, including just seven appearances last year before having a breakout 2023 season on the wing.
Henry averaged more than 20 possessions for the first time in a season that included gathering 30 in three of his final nine Freo games while only twice in that hot streak did the Claremont recruit not amass more than his season average.
But Champion Data analyst Daniel Hoyne warned St Kilda not to get carried away by Henry's promising statistical rise.
Bell, a lawyer by profession, is notorious for pushing a firm deal after the Saints had endured a near week of negotiations in 2019 to ensure Fremantle released Bradley Hill.
"There's a fair bit of discussion around Liam Henry requesting a trade to the footy club and what that's going to do for St Kilda," Hoyne told SEN's Sportsday.
"The only thing I'll say around that is just be wary in terms of what you're giving up."
Hoyne believes a straight swap for St Kilda's provisional pick 31 is fair, but Fremantle would expect to ask for the rival's first-round selection of pick 12.
That comes on the back of Henry previously only averaging 6.7, 9.0 and 9.3 disposals respectively each year.
"I wouldn't be giving up anything high-end for Liam Henry," Hoyne said.
"Based off our model this year, he's the 30th rated wingman in the competition, going just below expectation.
"He's not a horrible footballer by any stretch, but I wouldn't be giving up a top-20 pick for him.
"Close to the 30 mark. I wouldn't be jumping at this just to get him through the door.
"Henry is an okay ball-user, but he's not an absolute pure kick."
St Kilda's recruiters prime objective is to stack elite ball-users in the midfield, but Hoyne rates Michito Owens, Mattes Phillipou and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera as high-end teenagers already that will improve even further in time.
Wanganeen-Milera was drafted by the Saints with selection No.11 after talent guru Kevin Sheahan rated the Glenelg junior "the most skilled" player in the 2021 draft at the time.
He moved from the wing onto half-back in a preseason plan and found the ball with absolute ease in his second AFL season.
The Kokatha and Narangga man, who is the nephew of Gavin Wanganeen and the son of Terry Milera, also boosted his average of 13.6 disposals in his debut year to a brilliant 23.5 a game in a stunning 2023 return.
"Whether or not Nasaiah Wanganeen-Milera gets injected in there (midfield) as well for that potency…they do have the options there to experiment," Hoyne said.
"They're obviously keen to go to the draft and Liam Henry comes in as well."
