THE deepening threat of instability at St Kilda appears to have dashed any hope of the Saints securing Chris Judd and is threatening to prompt the departure of centre half-back Matt Maguire.
With a board challenge in train at Moorabbin, Judd, through his agent Paul Connors, is understood to have informed the Saints that he is not prepared even to meet with them for a discussion about his future, which seems to have been narrowed to Collingwood, Carlton, Melbourne and Essendon.
Hawthorn, a willing suitor which declared its interest in Judd on Monday, has also been told that it is not in the running and has been rebuffed despite apparent suitability. Judd indicated at a press conference in Perth on Monday that a well-resourced club with prospects of success in the near future would be his preference.
"We have made three separate approaches to Chris' management and had our interest in meeting him declined on each occasion," said Hawthorn's head of recruiting and list management, Chris Pelchen.
"Obviously we're disappointed, but we respect Chris' decision although we are somewhat bewildered by the position taken because we believe that we meet all the criteria put forward."
Judd flew into Melbourne last night for an appointment with a surgeon today ahead of surgery for his debilitating groin complaint and is set to meet with Carlton, Essendon and Melbourne in the next 36 hours. Collingwood will meet with the Brownlow medallist and premiership midfielder once its finals campaign comes to a close.
While St Kilda was never Judd's preference — that is believed to be Collingwood, with Carlton also strongly in the frame — the destabilising political game being played at Moorabbin as the board of president Rod Butterss attempts to fight off a challenge has convinced the Judd camp to dismiss interest from the club.
Further, with Connors also looking after the affairs of Maguire, and captain Luke Ball among others at St Kilda, protracted negotiations between the Saints and their centre half-back have stalled.
Connors declined to comment other than to confirm that there have been no recent dealings over Maguire. Richmond and at least one other club are understood to have expressed interest in the 23-year-old, who made an unexpectedly swift comeback this year from a badly broken leg he suffered in round 18 of the 2006 season.
St Kilda football operations manager Ken Sheldon, who vowed on behalf of the club on Monday that it would join the chase for Judd, said yesterday he had not officially been told the Saints were out of the running. "I haven't received confirmation of that at this stage," said Sheldon. "We're not intending to meet with him this week, no."
Meanwhile, Western Bulldogs assistant coach Chris Bond is to meet with Fremantle tomorrow about joining new coach Mark Harvey's staff. Bond, a former Docker captain, met with Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews on Tuesday.
