Thursday was noteworthy for Jake Carlisle's decision to request a trade from Essendon to the Saints, rather than the Blues, who had also been interested in recruiting him. At Etihad Stadium ahead of this weekend's AFL draft combine, Bailey Rice was learning the news.

"I heard something about him choosing St Kilda," Rice said.

He was right, and seemed to know more about where the departing Don would be in 2016, than where he will end up himself. From the Dandenong Stingrays, 184cm Rice, plays both as a defender a midfielder. His father Dean played 116 games with the Saints between 1987 and 1993, before 118 with the Blues from 1994 to 2001.

The new father-son bidding system allows for Rice to nominate both clubs as potential homes, but he must order his preferences, meaning that if his favoured destination decides not to match a bid from elsewhere, the other club can have a crack as the bidding plays out live on draft night.

Rice spent one morning a week for a stretch this year at the Saints, and also played two games for Carlton's VFL affiliate the Northern Blues. He met recently with new Blues coach Brendon Bolton.

He has until October 30 to make a decision, but he suggested it could happen after the combine, which ends on Sunday.

"St Kilda's come to my house, went to Carlton, met the new coach.

"The decision will probably be after the combine. [I'll] speak to dad, speak to Maxy [manager Mark Kleiman], and I'll come to something after the combine.

"[I'm] not leaning one way or another. Either of them I'm fine with."

Rice said he had spoken to clubs other than the Saints and the Blues, knowing that he could yet end up somewhere else.

"[It's] live on draft night, so you won't know until draft night. I guess it puts you in the same spot as the other kids.

"It's not a bad thing I guess."