New St Kilda key defender Logan Austin is determined to play more senior football at his new club after being stuck in the queue at Port Adelaide, says Saints List and Recruiting Manager Tony Elshaug.

After being recruited with pick No. 69 in the 2014 Draft, the 22-year-old played 13 games across three seasons at Port Adelaide, including 11 in the second half of 2016, but only managed two appearances this season despite strong form in the SANFL.

The Saints received the Canberra product and a future fourth-round pick on Thursday in exchange for a future third-round pick on the final day of this year’s exchange period, on a day where they also exchanged picks with the Power in another deal.

After acquiring key defensive pair Jake Carlisle and Nathan Brown in the last couple of years, Elshaug said the signing of Austin would add further depth to the Saints’ defence that also includes injury-riddled young defender Hugh Goddard.

“Logan is a good young man. He played as a 19-year-old when he was in the New South Wales program and came through that program with Jack Steele, who is one of his good friends which is a good thing,” Elshaug told saints.com.au on Friday afternoon.

“He worked his way onto Port’s list in 2014. He went there with an injured shoulder in the first place, played 10 SANFL games in his first year and then mustered up 11 games in a row in his second year playing on the last line of defence for Port Adelaide.

“Unfortunately he broke his ankle in the last game of 2016 so that put him on the back foot over summer and essentially Tom Clurey went past him at that point and possession is nine-tenths of the law.

“He did fight his way in for a couple of games later in the year. But he just felt like it was tough for opportunities there and he could see there would be some opportunities at the Saints and we were keen to get him on board.”

Snapshot:

2014 National Draft Pick No. 69 from Belconnen 
Debut Rd 11, 2016 v Collingwood
13 games
22 years of age