ST KILDA has signalled it will drive a hard bargain as Geelong pursues ruck Rowan Marshall for a second successive year, but Cats defender Lawson Humphries won't be part of any trade.

The Saints held firm on Marshall's request for a move to the Cats last year and were pleased how his pairing with big-money recruit Tom De Koning panned out, but they have shown more willingness to trade the contracted big man this off-season.

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"Rowan's indicated to us that he'd like to get to Geelong. And I think, obviously, we're hoping that a deal can get done there and hoping that a deal that obviously works for us," St Kilda's general manager of football, Lenny Hayes, told Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio on Friday.

"He's a very good player, Rowan … he's an experienced ruckman. He's been a good player for us for a long period of time. I think he's finished top six in the best and fairest the last three years.

"We feel like he's actually had a really good combination with TDK this year. They've played some really good football together. So, look, I think we'd be open to looking at a few different things… but no doubt it's going to take a little bit to get to a point where we're satisfied as a football club because of how highly we do rate Rowan."

The Saints had expressed their interest in Cats defender Humphries, but Hayes confirmed that Geelong had shut down any prospect of the WA runner being involved in the Marshall deal.

While Marshall looks set to depart during the trade period, Hayes said the Saints were keen to retain young defender Alix Tauru, whose tour of Gold Coast's facilities in the post-season raised some eyebrows.

Hayes said both he and senior coach Ross Lyon had discussed the situation with Tauru, who has a four-year offer on the table from the Saints, and were happy to welcome him back to the club.

"(We were) a little bit surprised, it's fair to say. And for us around that period, it was just gathering the information around what was there, and then just having the conversation with Alix just to find out from his point of view - is he happy at the club?" Hayes said.

"He's indicated that he is that he is really happy at the club so look, I think in the current climate and where things are at, that happens a lot more often than it did probably five or 10 years ago. That is part of the industry and I think once you have those conversations and you find out what's what's the real truth behind it all, then we're really comfortable with Alix wanting to stay at the club."

Hayes said the Saints were not optimistic that their interest in Western Bulldogs defender Rory Lobb would result in a move, adding reports that the Saints had offered Lobb a three-year deal were incorrect.

But he said the prospect of young Brisbane midfielder Sam Marshall heading to Moorabbin after nominating the Saints was a boost for St Kilda's on-ball brigade.

"He's someone that we've tracked over a period of time. Obviously a talented underage player, played some good footy in his first year and to play in a Grand Final in his first year was a fair effort," Hayes said.

"He's probably struggled to get in the team this year, but he's someone that we think can add to our young midfield core that we're building. Now it's over to 'Gubby' (head of talent Graeme Allan) and 'SOS' (list manager Stephen Silvagni) really to get a deal done with Brisbane."

Midfielder-forward Mattaes Phillipou added 21 games for a total of 65 over his four years at the club and Hayes said he would remain a key part of the club's future, despite reports that he was seeking a move out of Moorabbin.

"Mattaes is a really valuable player for us. I spoke before about that sort of young core group that was brought in over the last four years with going to the draft and then adding a little bit of experience last year," Hayes said.

"But he's a big part of our future. He's a contracted player. So, no, that was news to us. And even to the point where our list management crew reached out to his management yesterday and says that that certainly isn't coming from us.

"So we're really comfortable with Mattaes. We think he's got a really bright future at the footy club."

Hayes also said veteran small forward Dan Butler had agreed to a contract extension for 2027, while Jack Carroll would likely have to wait until after the trade and draft periods before his future at the Saints became clear.