He was delisted in 2013 after receiving an 18-month suspension for testing positive to a banned substance, but was redrafted by the Saints as a rookie at the end of 2014.
He had not received a formal invitation to join the club but turned up unannounced (inspired by his mother's words of wisdom and encouragement) to an early preseason training session and was permitted to participate.
[1] In the 2011 season, Saad kicked 50 goals and won the Fothergill–Round Medal as the league's most promising young player.
He was recruited by the St Kilda Football Club by indirect means in the 2011 Trade Week: the fledgling Greater Western Sydney Giants recruited him directly, then immediately traded him to St Kilda, along with Terry Milera and draft pick 25, in exchange for pick 20.
He is the first player of Egyptian background and the third practising Muslim (after Sedat Sir and Bachar Houli) to be on the AFL playing list.