MELBOURNE is set to hand an AFLW lifeline to popular ruck Rhiannon Watt, who was surprisingly not offered a playing contract for the upcoming season by St Kilda earlier this week.

Womens.afl understands the Demons will recruit Watt as a delisted free agent when the window for signings opens on Thursday morning, despite the fact she won't play in the upcoming season.

Watt ruptured her ACL in a game against Gold Coast last February, with the short turnaround between seasons ensuring the former Saints co-captain will now miss a second successive campaign.

St Kilda's Kate McCarthy (right) consoles Rhiannon Watt during round eight, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Melbourne will sign Watt with a plan to move the 34-year-old immediately to its inactive list, but will give her the opportunity to recover and return in time for the club's 2023 season.

TRADE BREAKDOWN Ins, outs, draft picks, verdict

It's expected she will then provide ruck support and additional depth for the Demons' talls, which already includes two-time AFLW All-Australian Lauren Pearce and youngsters Maggie Caris, Tahlia Gillard and Georgia Campbell.

Watt has played 24 AFLW games across four seasons in the competition, including two for Carlton and 22 for St Kilda. A respected leader, she was co-captain of the Saints in 2020 and 2021 and vice-captain of the club in 2022.

The deal for Watt will complete a productive sign and trade period for Melbourne, who dealt for Jordan Ivey from Geelong and Charlotte Wilson from Carlton but lost Krstel Petrevski and Isabella Simmons to West Coast and Jackie Parry and Shelley Scott to the Cats.