Collingwood making bold play for ‘ready to go’ St Kilda big man Jack Hayes

Collingwood are targeting St Kilda tall Jack Hayes as they look to add extra firepower in their forward line in the trade period.

Hayes is out of contract after struggling with injuries throughout his three years in the AFL.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Pies circling St Kilda big man Jack Hayes.

7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary revealed Hayes has had a medical with the Pies.

“He is on the players the Pies have been targeting for that key forward, ruck role that Craig McRae has been quite vocal about,” Cleary said.

“He is one name to keep an eye on over the next nine days. He starts next year as a 28-year-old, so he’s in that prime age group, ready to go.”

Hayes has only played eight senior matches, but has shown plenty of promise as a key forward and back-up ruck.

The 27-year-old, who joined the Saints as a mature-aged rookie, kicked three goals on debut for the Saints way back in Round 1, 2022, but a knee injury in Round 6 ended his season early.

Injuries restricted him to just one senior game in 2023 and he only managed another two this year before he was cut down with injury again.

Interestingly, in the six full matches he has played, Hayes has polled Brownlow votes in two of them.

Hayes would give the Pies an extra target up forward alongside Brody Mihocek and Dan McStay.

It looms as a busy trade period for the Pies, who have already added Harry Perryman as a free agent and are also in the mix for Port Adelaide star Dan Houston.