Geelong midfielder Tim Kelly still set to ask for a trade after unsuccessful Eagles bid last year

Tim Kelly will again ask for a trade at the end of the year, but Cats coach Chris Scott says it’s no “foregone conclusion” his midfield star will leave. Plus Richmond chasing signatures, Demon Sam Weidemen’s value, Libba’s huge year and Essendon to keep eye on son of a gun.

Should West Coast have pulled the trigger on Tim Kelly last year and paid Geelong’s price?

Because nothing is going to get easier for the Eagles as they try to lure him home.

Last night Kelly was best-on-ground in the Cats’ thrilling seven-point win over Collingwood, the midfielder oozing class as he glided across the MCG turf on his way to 31 disposals and nine clearances.

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It seems his price tag is only set to soar in 2019.

The Herald Sun believes Kelly will again ask for a trade at the end of the season, but on Saturday morning Cats coach Chris Scott said his club would continue to fight to keep the star.

“I’m very, very optimistic that he’ll be a Geelong player for a long time,” Scott told SEN.

“Anyone who thinks it’s a foregone conclusion that Tim Kelly is going to leave Geelong is mistaken.”

The morning after Kelly’s dominant display against the Pies, former Saints great Leigh Montagna said the Cat was a better player than Essendon’s prized recruit Dylan Shiel, and that his asking price was on the up.

“He’s worth a first-round pick (in the trade period),” Montagna told Triple M.

“He’s Geelong’s No.1 midfielder now.”

We understand Geelong’s demand for Kelly last year was picks 20 and 22 from the 2018 draft and a swap of Geelong’s third-round pick with the Eagles’ second-round pick in this year’s draft. So, effectively, two high second rounders and a single-round shuffle of picks.

The Cats could not believe the Eagles baulked so close to completing the deal.

This week West Coast will debut exciting tall Oscar Allen, with Jarrod Brander playing his second AFL game.

They were the players the Eagles chose with picks 13 and 21 ahead of Kelly (pick 24), despite being repeatedly warned by his manager that a Victorian club would take him in the mid-20s.

If they emerge as future stars this year, Geelong will hardly be inclined to ship off Kelly for unders to a premiership team that is becoming more imposing.

Noah Balta made his AFL debut against the Blues. Pic: Getty Images

TIGERS BALTA TO SIT TIGHT

The Tigers have quickly moved on from locking away Daniel Rioli and Nick Vlastuin to kickstart talks with All Australian Shane Edwards and underrated centre half back David Astbury.

But Noah Balta, the much-hyped debutante who fired on his debut on Thursday night, will sit tight and wait to see how his season plays out before agreeing to terms.

Fair enough too when your upside is so massive, with Balta a huge chance to take Alex Rance’s full-back role after being compared to him by coach Damien Hardwick on Thursday night.

Edwards would likely sign a two-year extension given he turns 31 in October but talks are only formative, while Astbury, 28, is at the peak of his powers.

At Carlton the Blues are working on a new two-year extension for Sam Walsh but are still haggling behind the scenes.

Extensions of that nature have a range of incentives which allow those players to earn $400,000 or more through clauses including games played and best-and-fairest finishes.

James Hird with son Tom during the Bomber great’s playing days. Pic: Kelly Barnes

BOMBERS KEEPING HIRDY’S BOY IN MIND

James Hird’s eldest son Tom is emerging as a longshot father-son draft prospect for Essendon.

Hirdy Jnr is a gun soccer player and could even take his passion for the round ball game overseas after he completes his year 12 studies at the end of the year.

But the Bombers will be ready in case Tom ever wants to consider taking his footy more seriously.

The 17-year-old is a member of the club’s father-son academy (named after his dad) and turned heads on the training track recently when he spent time with the Bombers.

Even though he doesn’t play footy, we’re told the son of the Bombers’ champion is definitely blessed with natural skills which could easily translate.

Tom would be eligible to be drafted this year, but is happy playing soccer at this stage.

The Dons will closely scrutinise Mason Fletcher, son of legend Dustin, as he plays as a 19-year-old in the TAC Cup after back issues curtailed his season last year.

GWS star Stephen Coniglio and Hawk Jaeger O’Meara have been great mates since their days in WA.

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Jaeger O’Meara has switched managers as he prepares to sign a new deal at Hawthorn. O’Meara has left WA-based Colin Young for TLA senior agent Tom Petroro.

O’Meara is best mates with another one of Petroro’s superstar clients, Stephen Coniglio, prompting some to think the pair could one day join forces in brown and gold.

Certainly, the Hawks are keen on the gun free agent, who has made clear he won’t go to Fremantle — one of his main suitors.

GWS remains confident of keeping the man widely touted as the club’s next captain. Coniglio is likely to wait a few months before making any big decisions on his future.

We can’t see him leaving if the Giants can remain in the premiership hunt this year.

Often underrated, the hard-nut midfielder is worth about $1 million a year to the Giants.

Young has been busy himself, locking away Fremantle’s Hill brothers as well as star mid-forward Michael Walters.

Tom Liberatore has knuckled down to training. Pic: Michael Klein

LIBBA STARING AT SEVEN-FIGURE PAYDAY

Tom Liberatore has entered Liam Pickering’s management stable as he prepares for the most important contract season of his career.

His manager Tom Williams, a former teammate, has moved to Queensland and will now be the management group’s man on the ground up north.

To be frank the Dogs made Libba jump through all kinds of hoops to prove he was in the state of mind to continue at the Dogs, the father-son eventually signing a one-year extension.

They couldn’t have made it any clearer things had to change if he was to continue at the club.

All signs are that Liberatore is locked in mentally to prove himself after a cracking summer.

Stay squeaky clean this year and put together a booming year and he becomes a 27-year-old much-prized free agent in a game which values inside midfielders.

If his issues continue who knows what his career holds at season’s end.

It goes without saying it is a seven-figure difference between those two polar opposites.

How much is Sam Weideman worth? Pic: Getty Images

SHOW WEID THE MONEY

It is an important few months for Sam Weideman. The fourth-year Melbourne goal kicker is looking to cement a position in the Demons’ forward line before he signs a new deal.

But there is good debate over the value of his next contract.

While the Demons have a price in mind, Weideman could demand in excess of $500,000 a year if he has a crackerjack season.

He has played only 20 games but showed everyone how much potential he has in his breakout performance against Geelong in last year’s elimination final.

Without Jesse Hogan, the Demons need him to step up.

Melbourne co-captain Nathan Jones also comes out of contract from a lucrative four-year deal signed after a trio of best-and-fairest trophies.

He is keen to get a deal done early in the year, so it will be fascinating to see how he is used by Simon Goodwin after being pushed out of the centre square last year.

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Originally published as Geelong midfielder Tim Kelly still set to ask for a trade after unsuccessful Eagles bid last year