Footy expert Mick McGuane gives his take on trade and free agency targets Brad Crouch, Zac Williams, Adam Saad, Joe Daniher and more
Free agent Jeremy Cameron would look good in a Collingwood jumper, and the Pies need aerial support for Brody Mihocek and Jordan De Goey. Here’s how they could do a deal with GWS — and fit Cameron under the salary cap.
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Memo AFL … it’s time to give clubs and players greater certainty on Total Player Payments figures and list sizes for 2021.
We know this has been a season like no other, but the fact 10 clubs will finish their seasons in the coming days without any direction on what next year will look like is absolutely ridiculous and lacks assertive leadership.
How can the coaches conduct their player exit interviews without knowing what the numbers will look like?
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How can clubs get stuck into their post-season list strategies with the information they have in front of them right now?
It’s time for some answers.
The jungle drums are already beating about this being a massive trade and free agency period.
Here are some of the players who have some big decisions to make ahead of the trade and free agency windows, and what I think might happen with them.
INSURANCE FOR SELWOOD?
Brad Crouch has improved his game immeasurably this year.
His contested possession rate is 48 per cent, when normalising his 2020 game time, in what has been a tough year for the Crows.
He would be the perfect fit for Geelong, given the concerns I have – and I am sure the Cats share – over their warrior skipper Joel Selwood’s long-term future.
Selwood’s ongoing knee issues and his recent hamstring worries might mean he may not get back to his contested best into the future.
Crouch – 27 next year – would fit hand in glove with the Cats’ midfield, allowing less of a reliance on Selwood, who turns 33 next May.
The Cats and the Bombers are interested in Crouch, but Essendon’s interest really confuses me.
We‘ve seen the Bombers have a rotating midfield, which has seen the likes of Devon Smith and Zach Merrett played in different positions at times.
If Crouch was to come into the mix, wouldn’t that just compound the problem?
IS WILLIAMS WORTH EVERY ZAC?
Giants defender/midfielder Zac Williams may have priced himself out of the market for his current club, but a host of other suitors are willing to pay.
If he leaves, the best fit looks to be Carlton.
Williams could support Patrick Cripps, who desperately needs help.
Cripps has had an indifferent season, as evidenced by the fact his teammates didn’t nominate the Blues skipper as one of the club’s best three players in this year’s AFLPA MVP award.
The Blues would be derelict in not chasing Williams.
North Melbourne is another interested party, and rightly so given question marks on the durability of Jack Ziebell and Ben Cunnington.
Williams wants more midfield minutes and both of these clubs would provide that opportunity as well as stump up the cash required to make it happen.
If Jason McCartney’s purse strings are too tight at the Giants, Williams could realistically command somewhere between $600,000-$700,000 at a rival club.
The only disclaimer is if Essendon happens to lose Adam Saad, Williams could fill that running halfback role.
Williams‘ current teammate Aidan Corr is out of the Giants already and looks to be headed for North Melbourne.
If I was Hawthorn, I’d have had a crack at him, but it seems as if the Kangaroos are leading the way on this one.
NO SAAD CERTAINTY
All-Australian hopeful Adam Saad has produced elite numbers for disposals, uncontested possessions and metres gained, he is rated above average for intercept possessions, and his pressure for running back is elite.
So why hasn’t he signed for the Bombers, given the two parties have been talking about a deal since last Christmas?
Is Saad’s reluctance to sign indirectly telling us that he is concerned with the direction in which the club is headed?
He was “sold” on the promise that this club was heading into a premiership window when he left Gold Coast. That looks a long way off now.
It’s time for Essendon to get this deal done. Until that happens … rival clubs will be hovering.
STEVO ON THE TABLE?
Who is Collingwood’s goalsquare forward, Jordan De Goey or Jaidyn Stephenson?
Stephenson plays his best footy out of the goalsquare but De Goey is clearly the preferred option, given he will likely play 70 per cent of his time forward.
So where does that leave the 2018 Rising Star winner?
He would have to become a high half forward and hence the reason why earlier in the year I was concerned about his ‘timid’ approach to the contest when he plays among more numbers.
If the Magpies think they can make it work, and get some confidence and physicality into Stephenson’s game, he probably stays.
But if not, could he be the type of player used in a trade to maybe introduce another key forward to help out Brody Mihocek, Mason Cox, De Goey and co?
WHAT’S THE GO WITH JOE?
Joe Daniher missed most of the season, but showed how important he is to the Essendon attack on his return.
From Rounds 14 to 17, he averaged 6.3 marks and 2.7 contested marks – ranked No. 1 for key forwards in that time.
We know he is a beacon, we know he draws a crowd … now we need to know if he is committed to Essendon or not!
Daniher would be advantageous to Brisbane and Geelong because of the territory game they play.
We know that Sydney was interested last year and will probably come knocking again.
The Lions couldn’t coax Charlie Dixon out of Port Adelaide, but they could offer Daniher life outside the AFL bubble.
All of those interested clubs MUST demand a thorough and fierce look at Daniher’s medical records.
Essendon cannot afford to lose him.
It has to fight to keep him and potentially match any offer that is tabled for him.
He moved to Daylesford earlier in the year and those who know him felt he was a little happier this year.
But the fact remains – Joe still hasn’t committed to the Bombers.
Maybe, he thinks if he can find a home at Brisbane, Sydney or Geelong that he would be the perfect foil for Eric Hipwood, Lance Franklin or Tom Hawkins.
He doesn’t have any aerial support at Essendon.
BLUES’ WILDCARD OPTION
Zach Merrett is a restricted free agent next year.
But is the Essendon midfielder – who was dumped from the leadership group this year – gettable for a team such as Carlton that is desperately chasing some assistance for its battered and bruised captain Patrick Cripps?
The Blues need to be aggressive and should ask the question.
Be proactive, make the call to Merrett’s management and if he is interested, offer up a decent deal to the Bombers.
At the very least, it might soften him up for another shot at him next year.
Merrett’s response to being left out of the leadership group off the back of winning the 2019 best and fairest has been very mature.
He has averaged 26 possessions, ranked fourth, and has averaged 425 metres per game, which is second in the competition.
Cripps needs help and Carlton needs more midfield depth. Merrett can provide both. Surely the offer of a four or five-year deal on good money might at least pique his interest.
JEZ TO STAY?
Jeremy Cameron wants to lock away a long-term, lucrative deal, but the question is whether he will get exactly what he is after or not?
He will be 28 next season, but he has a CV most forwards could only dream of – an eight-time club leading goalkicker, a best-and-fairest winner, a Coleman Medallist and a two-time All-Australian.
He is coming off a year where his form has seriously fluctuated.
Do we blame COVID-19 interruptions, the Giants’ form, the contract distraction or a combination of the above?
Yes, he would look good in a Collingwood jumper.
But how could the Magpies make that work given they are working hard to lock away De Goey and Darcy Moore?
Could the Magpies offer Cameron a heavily back-ended deal, given Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom are heading into their last few years.
Call it a hunch, but when I see Cameron in those Giants’ colours, I think of him in the same manner of Toby Greene, Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly and Lachie Whitfield in terms of players who were tempted to leave, but just couldn’t do it.
Despite the speculation, I suspect he will stay loyal.
JACK GRAHAM, JYE CALDWELL AND NAKIA COCKATOO
Let’s start with Richmond’s Jack Graham, who was twice dropped this year, but has fought back well late in the season.
He won a premiership medal in his fifth game, but has struggled to get consistent game time in a star-studded Tigers midfield.
The Tigers still have Shane Edwards and Dion Prestia to come back into the line-up, which could squeeze Graham out.
Graham has a decision to make.
Does he stay in a winning environment surrounded by elite mids or seek more midfield time at another club?
Essendon and Carlton are interested, but if Crouch leaves Adelaide, it is a no-brainer for Graham to consider heading home to South Australia – and the Crows.
There has been talk St Kilda might be prepared to offer Giant Jye Caldwell a five-year deal on about $500,000 to $600,000 a season.
As far as I am concerned, that’s a figure that is way over the odds.
What he has delivered so far hasn’t justified that sort of reward.
But he is a tough kid who comes from a boxing background, so he is a competitor who could find a slot at the Saints, or elsewhere.
But let’s be careful about paying too much too soon.
Injury prone Cat Nakia Cockatoo would be a good fit for Brisbane.
At his best, he is in Geelong‘s starting 22, but he just hasn’t been able to consistently get on the park, as was the case with Daniel Menzel throughout his career.
I’d love to see him at the Lions. Allen Christensen is in the footy wilderness and the club has had some success with ex-Cats including Lincoln McCarthy.
Just imagine adding him to an already solid Lions forward line, and he could also run through the middle with the sort of dynamism the club would love to have.
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Originally published as Footy expert Mick McGuane gives his take on trade and free agency targets Brad Crouch, Zac Williams, Adam Saad, Joe Daniher and more