AFL trade news 2022: Keep up to date with all the latest contract, signings
Brendan Goddard thinks the Saints should make a big money play for Jordan De Goey. And he has ideas on how the Pies star should be used to get the best out of him at Moorabbin. All the latest trade news.
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St Kilda great Brendon Goddard has backed the Saints to make a bold play for Collingwood superstar free agent Jordan De Goey.
The Saints are weighing up a big-money bid for the goal kicking midfielder, who is out of contract at season’s end.
While the Magpies remain interested in keeping De Goey beyond this season, Collingwood is not prepared to pay overs to keep the restricted free agent.
It means a rival club such as St Kilda could poach the match winner on a blockbuster deal as a free agent, without giving up a top draft pick.
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The Saints, who have the longest premiership drought in the game, have made bold calls on a string of high-priced recruits in recent years including injury-stricken midfielder Daniel Hannebery, premiership Hawk Brad Hill and ex-Crow Brad Crouch and face a huge decision whether to take the plunge on the Pie.
Under free agency rules, the Magpies would be compensated with a prized early draft choice (currently No. 11 based on ladder position) if De Goey sought a fresh start after eight years in black and white.
Goddard, who moved from St Kilda to Essendon as a free agent, said the Saints should enter the market for De Goey if it did not compromise their salary cap or negatively impact the team dynamic.
“If they have the money (spare) and they don’t have to move mountains to fit him in, I think they would do it,” Goddard said.
“So then it is him and (Max) King on the best part of about $1 million (a year) or thereabouts and it does not compromise your ability to be a little bit flexible over the next three or four years because they will probably still get to a point where they might need to add another piece or two.
“But they would need to make sure he has a good life balance and has addressed any issues in terms of his behaviour.
“But I would support it.”
Goddard, who is interested in a coaching career at the top level, said De Goey’s breakaway speed at the stoppage and goal kicking power made him an excellent fit for the Saints.
The 26-year-old has averaged 21 disposals and one goal a game over the past 18 months. He finished fourth in the Magpies’ best and fairest last year.
“I think a 60 (forward) 40 (midfield) split is best where he could be having 20-22 possessions and still kicking you three goals a game,” Goddard said.
“Then he sits next to King and then (Tim) Membrey becomes a better player because he has boxed above his weight division and suddenly he gets the third defender.
“And he (De Goey) could tag in and out of the midfield with (Jade) Gresham, so it definitely fits well for St Kilda from a personnel perspective.”
The Saints have made a strong start to the 2022 season and could surge into the top-four mix with a win over Geelong at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
The Saints will weigh up De Goey’s on-field exploits and off-field misdemeanours, which included a New York nightclub fracas over Christmas.
Brett Ratten’s men recruited Crouch at the end of 2020 after the hard-nut midfielder was caught with an illicit substance at Adelaide.
In an interview with the Herald Sun that year, list boss James Gallagher explained how the club assesses character in their recruiting process after a tour to sporting clubs in the US.
“If you have had trouble with guns or violence, it rules you out straight away,” Gallagher said.
“But if you are not going great at school, or you are not polished with your language or whatever it is maybe that is OK, because that might just be your background or what you had been exposed to.
“But what happens when you get these guys into a footy club?
“Do they work their backsides off? Do they help their teammates get better? Do they care?
“Are they good company to be around? Are they good in the locker room? That is what ultimately determines things.”
Time Dogs sacrificed star to fix glaring hole?
Western Bulldogs will scour the league for a prime key defender to bolster its back line for next year’s premiership tilt.
The Bulldogs are in the market for a strong-bodied key backman such as Fremantle’s Griffin Logue to address the defensive vulnerabilities which have been exposed this season.
Out-of-contract Brisbane big man Dan McStay could also be an option to help boost the Dogs key position stocks.
Luke Beveridge’s men have lost 37 per cent of their defensive contests – ranked 18th in the league.
They have also conceded 39 goals to key forwards this year – ranked 13th.
Former coach Rodney Eade said it was the obvious missing link for the Dogs after slipping to 10th spot with three wins from eight games ahead of Friday night’s crunch clash against Collingwood.
“When they play against good teams, that is going to catch them out,” Eade said on RSN.
“I know Luke has probably bristled at that in the past about tall defenders but going forward they need to really sit down and plan about how we are going to get some tall defenders in.”
Complicating matters is the salary cap squeeze on at the kennel as the Dogs attempt to re-sign a host of stars including Bailey Smith, Caleb Daniel, Tim English, Bailey Dale and Josh Dunkley.
Hard nut midfielder Dunkley, 25, would help free up salary cap space if he sought another trade request after failing to get to Essendon, but the club has held positive talks with him on a new deal.
Bulldogs’ list manager Sam Power also faces a tricky challenge finding the right man to beef-up the back end from the players potentially available this year.
In particular, the new stand rule has left backmen exposed and the Dogs’ reliance on their midfield to support the back line has fallen down this year after making last year’s Grand Final.
Logue looms as an attractive option but the Dogs would face a fight to land him as the 24-year-old has recently re-established himself as a key pillar in one of the best defences in the competition.
Likewise his Dockers’ teammate Alex Pearce, 26, remains out of contract at season’s end and has the ability to push for All-Australian selection throughout his prime according to former coach Ross Lyon.
The Dogs will also consider other injury-hit players and key forward options who could make the switch into the back line such as former Carlton stopper Liam Jones or Demon Sam Weideman.
Adelaide 197cm defender Fischer McAsey, a former pick six, has been on the outer at the Crows, Carlton’s Caleb Marchbank has returned from injury through the VFL, Melbourne’s Joel Smith is out again with injury, while Essendon’s Aaron Francis is a left-field candidate.
Demon Harrison Petty (2025), West Coast’s Tom Barrass (2026), Cat Jack Henry (2024) and Richmond’s Noah Balta (2023) have all recently recommitted.
The Dogs will prefer a taller key defender instead of a third option or smaller marking intercept player to fill the void on their list.
It is the clear priority for the club which has lost former Hawk Tim O’Brien to another soft tissue setback after securing him from Waverley last year.
Alex Keath, 30, will replace him in the team after overcoming a hamstring problem.
Revealed: Free agents left for your club to sign
The AFL has released the full Restricted and Unrestricted Free Agent List for 2022.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
Brisbane: Darcy Gardiner
Collingwood: Jordan De Goey
Essendon: Kyle Langford
Fremantle: Alex Pearce
Hawthorn: James Sicily
Melbourne: Angus Brayshaw
Richmond: Kane Lambert
Sydney: Lance Franklin
*Previously delisted
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
ADELAIDE
Ben Davis*
Mitch Hinge*
Taylor Walker
BRISBANE
Ryan Lester
Daniel McStay
Mitch Robinson*
Dayne Zorko
CARLTON
Matt Cottrell*
Ed Curnow
Oscar McDonald*
Jack Newnes
Lochie O’Brien*
COLLINGWOOD
Isaac Chugg*
Mason Cox
Jamie Elliott
Jordan Roughead
ESSENDON
Dyson Heppell
Michael Hurley
Alec Waterman*
FREMANTLE
Bailey Banfield*
Connor Blakely*
Mitch Crowden*
David Mundy
GEELONG
Luke Dahlhaus
Tom Hawkins
Shaun Higgins
Joel Selwood
Isaac Smith
GOLD COAST
Levi Casboult*
Charlie Constable*
Jez McLennan*
GWS GIANTS
Jarrod Brander*
Matt De Boer*
Lachlan Keeffe*
Adam Kennedy
Daniel Lloyd*
Zach Sproule*
Jake Stein*
Jacob Wehr*
HAWTHORN
Jack Gunston
Kyle Hartigan*
Daniel Howe
Ben McEvoy
Liam Shiels
MELBOURNE
Mitch Brown*
Majak Daw*
Jayden Hunt
NORTH MELBOURNE
Ben Cunnington
Todd Goldstein
Kyron Hayden*
Tom Lynch*
Kayne Turner
Josh Walker*
PORT ADELAIDE
Karl Amon
Travis Boak
Trent Dumont*
Robbie Gray
Sam Mayes*
Trent McKenzie*
Steven Motlop
Sam Skinner*
RICHMOND
Trent Cotchin
Shane Edwards
Ben Miller*
Bigoa Nyuon*
Matthew Parker*
Jack Riewoldt
ST KILDA
Tom Campbell*
Jarryn Geary
Darragh Joyce*
Jarrod Lienert*
Mason Wood*
SYDNEY
Harry Cunningham
Robbie Fox*
Josh Kennedy
Jake Lloyd
Paddy McCartin*
Sam Naismith
Sam Reid
Lewis Taylor*
WEST COAST
Hugh Dixon*
Shannon Hurn
Jamaine Jones*
Tom Joyce*
Josh Kennedy
Patrick Naish*
Nic Naitanui
Jackson Nelson
Luke Shuey
Luke Strnadica*
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Zaine Cordy
Bailey Dale
Caleb Daniel
Taylor Duryea
Jason Johannisen
Tom Liberatore
Stefan Martin
Toby McLean
Mitch Wallis
DOGS SCOUR MARKET FOR DEFENSIVE HELP
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