Ross Lyon whacks 'Port Adelaide nuffie' over 'half-baked' report as Saints coach addresses big issues

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has described reports of player unrest as "half-baked" amid a wide-ranging interview on Nine's Footy Classified.

Lyon sat on the panel on Tuesday night and no topic was off limits.

The Saints have been subject to rampant speculation around a number of topics including Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's contract, as well as the pursuits of Tom De Koning and Harley Reid.

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The club currently sits 11th on the AFL ladder with Lyon three years into his second stint at St Kilda.

ROSS TAKES AIM AT REPORTER

On Tuesday, it emerged that St Kilda stars Cal Wilkie and Rowan Marshall could be on the outer at the club despite being contracted.

That report came from SEN SA's Michelangelo Rucci, who reported Wilkie, Marshall, Jack Steele and Marcus Windhager could all be part of a mass exodus. The story has been reported outside of SEN too.

Lyon said on Footy Classified that Wilkie spoke to him on Tuesday night and told him "I've never entertained leaving St Kilda".

"There's a lot of half-baked stories," Lyon said.

"I heard the Rucci stuff, I thought it was two old blokes having a beer and a barbecue in the backyard ... there was no substance, no rigour.

"And I was like, Rucc, you send me postcards from Italy where you're herding the sheep and counting the sheep, and to be honest, you're a Port Adelaide nuffie, let's move on.

"Without being denigrating, but does he write content for the Port Adelaide SANFL club?Is he a mad Port Adelaide (fan)? Are they trying to get us into a bit of turmoil?

"... It's all part of the theatre, it's all part of feeding the chooks."

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Lyon was also strong on his view of not entertaining offers for contracted players, using Geelong's ruthless stance on Tim Kelly before he eventually moved to West Coast in 2019.

"Unless the free agency rules are changed, I would think contracted players are at your club unless you decide otherwise," he said.

"And as (Cats coach) Chris Scott said to me, (Tim) Kelly wanted to go home, he had children under duress, and they needed family support, but we weren't trading him.

"They kept him for another 12 months and got two first round picks and got (Jeremy) Cameron through the door.

"He said to me, Ross, if you're a club and you trade your contracted players, put your shingle up and say we're not a very good club.

"So everyone wants to model Geelong, and on this front, I'll be modelling Geelong."

CONCERN OVER WANGANEEN-MILERA

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is the biggest name who could leave St Kilda.

The 22-year-old has been brilliant this season with reports the Saints have offered him a $1.4 million-a-season deal.

Wanganeen-Milera also has interest from Adelaide and Port Adelaide.

Lyon said he was involved early in the negotiations with Wanganeen-Milera but has since stepped away.

He added the young star was subject to negotiations in pre-season but simply backed himself to prove on the field how much was worth. He's proven that in abundance.

"Not many deliver on it, but to Naza's credit, his ability to train hard, to lead, to continually improve, and as we challenge him with new positions, he continues to stand up, so good luck to him, he backs himself in," he said.

"A few try it, but a few tip over and to his credit, he's creating the best opportunity and the club needs to work through that professionally and try and get the outcome that we all desire."

Lyon said he's "excited" by the problem that comes from competing for his signature and is prepared for an undesired outcome.

"That's doing business, isn't it?" he said.

"... What I'm confident is that we're coaching hard, we're pushing to the line and he's improving. I'm thrilled we've got this problem.

"My job's to coach, list management do their piece, the board, it's obviously high level and important, but we'll continue to back ourselves in until we know otherwise.

"It's, it's the rigour and the pressure of the business. People shy away from it, we lean into it."

Eddie McGuire rounded off the questions around Wanganeen-Milera, asking if Lyon was happy with where it's at.

"I'm concerned like everyone else... we're doing everything we can," Lyon said.

"And I've got no further updates, but hopefully behind the wall that we've put up, there's good negotiations going on."

THE GODFATHER OFFER TO REID

In recent weeks, St Kilda have been either second to or equal to Harley Reid when it comes to speculation.

There's been talk of $2m a season offers to the West Coast Eagles superstar but the biggest bombshell was dropped by Essendon legend Tim Watson on Tuesday.

Watson said on SEN that Reid has been offered $25m over 12 years by the Saints.

Lyon said he's never spoken to Reid.

"I love Tim but he got this one wrong," he said.

"The (Eagles) CEO Don Pike, who we all love and respect, is frustrated at their end for whatever reason for Harley and negotiations, so clearly they think there's something out in the ether that's getting in their way.

"Well, it certainly isn't me."

IS DE KONING ON HIS WAY?

The expectation for St Kilda is a big fish will be landed.

Tom De Koning is expected to be that big fish, with the reported $1.7m a season offer too good to refuse.

Lyon isn't certain.

"I don't think anyone knows where anyone's landing," he said.

"I mean everyone took to the bank that Buddy Franklin was going to GWS and you blinked and he was at Swans.

"Who knows what's around the corner? We know Geelong like him, we know Carlton love him. There's a lot of people in the market for a free agent, a big power ruckman-forward, so I would have thought we're not the only suitor.

"If I did (know), I certainly wouldn't blare it out here."