Ralphy’s Trade Wrap: Suns ready to splash, Carr’s shot at Dusty’s critics
Dustin Martin retirement speculation went intop overdrive this week after a tweet from his manager Ralph Carr. Is Dusty going to play out the season?
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Ralph Carr’s cryptic tweet lauding Dustin Martin’s achievements this week was a shot at his critics rather than an early retirement call.
Martin will play out the season and then assess his options as his 300th game comes nearer.
Carr lauded Martin’s three Norm Smith Medals and brilliant career after a welter of criticism from the usual suspects about his lack of influence.
Carr’s tweet, which appears to have been since been deleted, reportedly said: “Will always be the people’s champion. Three flags, three Norm Smiths, one Brownlow, All-Australian, MVP, cannot be wrong …”
There will be multiple offers if he moves on — although potentially on modest terms — but Martin has too much respect for Richmond to consider any alternatives before the end of the season.
He is battling motivation in a struggling Richmond side but has found the spark before after flat seasons, including in 2018 after the perfect season in 2017 and after his father’s death in New Zealand.
SUNS HUNTING TOP-QUALITY FLANKER AMID RIOLI LINKS
Gold Coast is open to trading one or more of its first-round picks as its chase for an elite half back in the Lachie Whitfield mould continues.
The Suns have their own pick, the Dogs first-rounder and the Roos end-of-first-rounder after smart trades last year.
It means if they could get contracted Richmond defender Dan Rioli over the line they have so much trade collateral to offer.
Suns football boss Wayne Campbell says the club is philosophically open to discussions on one or more of those early selections.
But as he said of Rioli: “He is a contracted player”.
The Suns will desperately attempt to keep ruckman Ned Moyle despite Jarrod Witts’ two-year deal.
Moyle was extremely impressive against Geelong — albeit against a fellow youngster in Toby Conway — with 16 contested possessions and 42 hit-outs.
Clubs like St Kilda and Collingwood could be in the market for ruckmen, while the Dogs interest in a ruck will depend on Tim English’s decision.
Adelaide has Reilly O’Brien, who is only 28, so would be less likely to chase another ruckman.
While the Suns have last year’s No. 9 draft pick Ethan Read as an exciting young talent, they believe he could be a key position player rather than first ruck and therefore believe Moyle is very much a part of their future if he wants to stay.
If he left they would need to find another developing ruck after putting so much time into Moyle.
DRAFT INSIGHT: WILL PIES MAKE FIRST-ROUND PLAY?
Collingwood is open to trading back into the first round of the national draft this year but could end up getting the player it wants with Hawthorn’s second-rounder.
The Pies traded out their first-rounder for Lachie Schultz but secured the Hawks second pick in the Jack Ginnivan trade, as well as their third-rounder this year.
Clubs believe fewer than 10 clubs could end up amassing all of the first-round picks on offer given the Dockers hold three first-rounders and the Suns have two as well as the Roos end-of-first-rounder.
Collingwood is aware it needs to get back into the draft in a big way and will use as much as $4 million of cap space by the end of 2025 to hit the free agency market.
But its needs are with key backs and key forwards so if the Hawks pick ends up around pick 22-25 the players the Pies want might end up in that range.
Murray Bushrangers twins Jack and Matt Whitlock could be available in that range as key backs in the mould of the McKay twins, although some recruiters have them higher.
So with the national championships approaching, the Pies will do their due diligence on where they need to be in the draft to secure their next-gen key talls.
LIONS LIKELY TO HAVE VACANT LIST SPOTS AFTER LLOYD CALL
Brisbane will play development coach Daniel Lloyd in their VFL side this weekend despite being knocked back by the league over his mid-season draft claims.
Under AFL eligibility rules Lloyd would have had to play three VFL games for the Lions to recruit him as a replacement for Linc McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner.
But by the time Gardiner and McCarthy were injured the Lions didn’t have time for him to play three games because of a VFL bye.
Lloyd is desperate to play for the Lions given there is a role for him at half forward in a side hopeful of rallying for a premiership.
So it seems strange the league would be so hard and fast about its rules given the thin talent pool in the mid-season draft.
Clubs believe there are only a handful of actual AFL prospects even if some clubs might take a player as a ‘throw at the stumps’ selection.
It means clubs like Brisbane will go into the back-half of the year with multiple list spots unused after their four ACL tears, given the lack of mid-season talent on show.
SWANS CONFIDENT OF HAYWARD SIGNATURE
Sydney is optimistic Will Hayward will again recommit to the club despite massive interest from rival clubs.
Sydney football boss Leon Cameron told Fox Footy on Friday there was an “enormous amount of optimism from the club, Will and his management a deal will get done”.
Carlton has offered six years for the restricted free agent, with Adelaide and Port Adelaide also pursuing a player who had kicked 19.6 leading into round 10.
Port Adelaide has links through coach-in-waiting Josh Carr who was at North Adelaide in Hayward’s time at the club, while Adelaide is keen but has denied reports of an $800,000 a season offer.
The Swans had recently upped their contract offer to five seasons, with Cameron saying on Friday: “We are desperate to keep him, we know how valuable he is and we are working closely with Will to get it done sooner rather than later.”
Originally published as Ralphy’s Trade Wrap: Suns ready to splash, Carr’s shot at Dusty’s critics
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