TV Wrap: Boak pushes for standalone showdown, Charlie Curnow asks about move to Gold Coast

There’s been a renewed push for a standalone Showdown, plus plenty of people weigh in on what a Charlie Curnow trade scenario looks like. All the headlines from Tuesday night’s shows.

Charlie Curnow the Sun? How about Joe Daniher the Demon?

And should the Showdown get a prime-time, stand-alone timeslot going forward?
There was plenty to talk about on Tuesday night - here are the best storylines from the footy world.

DOCH ‘PRIVILEGED’ TO BATTLE CANCER, KNEE SETBACKS

Retiring Blue Sam Docherty says he is comfortable finishing as a symbol of perseverance after returning from three ACL injuries and two separate cancer battles.

Docherty will finish up on Thursday night “pretty happy and fulfilled” despite not reaching the ultimate prize of a premiership in footy.

“Unfortunately I don’t get that (premiership dream) but I’ve said a number of times today I walk away pretty happy and fulfilled with everything else that has happened throughout my career,” he said on AFL 360.

“I think most people would come into footy and the thought of playing 300 games and winning Brownlow medals and best-and-fairests and All Australians, that’s what takes your fancy when you first start.

Sam Docherty is retiring after Thursday’s clash against Hawthorn. Picture: Robert Cianflone

“I obviously got dealt a set of cards that were pretty difficult to play at times.

“The reality is losing my dad made all the personal accolades make sense for me, but my cancer diagnosis changed the goalposts in some ways about what I actually value in my career.

“I feel privileged and lucky to have gone through that in some weird way because I walk out with perspective and I don’t think that was the lesson I thought I was going to get when I came to footy but that is what I’ve ended up with and I’m very glad I’ve got it.”

CURNOW SET FOR MELBOURNE WINTERS

Charlie Curnow has reportedly floated a potential move to the Suns, which was promptly shut down by Blues officials.

Channel 9’s Tom Morris reported the two-time Coleman medalist flagged a move to the Gold Coast, wanting to get out of the football bubble.

But Graham Wright, the incoming CEO at Carlton, made it clear that he was not for sale and would hold him to his contract that expires at the end of 2029.

Charlie Curnow isn’t going anywhere. Picture: Morgan Hancock

Midweek Tackle’s Jon Ralph said he struggled to see a deal working for Curnow, even if Carlton relented and decided to ship him to the Suns.

“He’s got four years left on the deal, I can’t see that would work for Gold Coast,” he said on Midweek Tackle.

“It’s easy to say that one generational player would move, it’s so rare to get two players of almost equal stature to swap clubs, especially when Gold Coast is flying right now.”

MELBOURNE ‘FRONT OF THE QUEUE’ FOR RETIRED LION

Melbourne is “at the front of the queue” for premiership Lion Joe Daniher if he wanted to come out of retirement.

The Agenda Setters panel discussed whether Daniher would return to footy, with Mitch Cleary saying “it’s in that ballpark” when asked if the key forward was a 10 per cent chance of returning.

Dale Thomas said Melbourne’s problems don’t lie with not having a key forward; rather it was the low-percentage entries inside forward 50.

Joe Daniher the Demon? Picture Lachie Millard

“It’s a lot more about how that ball comes inside forward 50,” he said, saying Melbourne would struggle even if they had Jason Dunstall and Gary Ablett Snr in their prime.

Cleary linked the Demons’ search for a key forward to Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Ben King, Ollie Lord and Mitch Lewis as potential options that could be gettable.

STANDALONE SHOWDOWN

Port Adelaide veteran Travis Boak has renewed pushes for the Showdown to be moved to a stand-alone time slot.

The rivalry clash between the cross-town rivals was labelled as “one of the great games on the calendar” by Giants captain Toby Greene on AFL 360.

And Boak agrees, saying he wants to face Adelaide in a prime time slot.

“We’ve been trying for a long period of time to get a stand-alone Friday night or Thursday night game because it has been a showpiece for the AFL for a long period of time now and it’s only growing,” he said on AFL 360.

Should the Showdown be a stand-alone game? Picture: Mark Brake

“There’s definitely been a lot of push from both clubs to really get it up in the lights because it does provide a lot of entertainment.

“Not only South Australia, but I think as Toby said, a lot of footy fans in general love to watch it.”

Round 20 is slated as an interstate ‘rivalry round’, with the Western Derby, Showdown, Q-Clash and Sydney Derby all being held this week.

Greene said he was surprised the clash with the Swans, which will be played on Friday night, is a part of a double header.

“I actually thought it was (a stand-alone game) until someone told me in the press conference the other day,” he said.

“So that caught me by surprise, I certainly thought we had done enough work of the previous five years to build the rivalry.”

REID’S $2M OFFER

Young West Coast star Harley Reid will not enter the 2026 season under a contract cloud.

Channel 9’s Tom Morris reported on Tuesday that the 2023 No.1 draft pick is not interested in starting next year’s campaign not having a deal beyond that season.

Either Reid would sign an extension at the Eagles beyond next year, or he would request a trade out of West Coast.

Reid’s manager Nick Gieschen has reportedly put forward an extension offer Reid would sign that is a two-year deal worth about $4 million across 2027 and 2028.

Morris reported the two-year deal would also be attached to a nine-year option that Reid could trigger to remain in Eagles colours.

He is not expected to pursue a trade to another struggling club, having endured 32 losses in a 38-game career so far.

Hawthorn is eager to trade for Reid, while Melbourne tried to trade up ahead of the 2023 draft to pick the clear top prospect.

BOBBY ISN’T BACK

Collingwood forward Bobby Hill is set to miss a fifth-straight game, according to Channel 9’s Tom Morris.

The 2023 North Smith medallist has not played since round 15’s win against St Kilda, dealing with personal reasons.

The Magpies are reportedly considering whether Hill will play in the VFL clash this weekend against Frankston.

Any VFL gametime would come at reduced minutes, and dependent on how Hill gets through training this week.

BOAK ON RETIREMENT, 2026 PLANS

Power veteran Travis Boak said he didn’t have a retirement announcement planned during his AFL 360 appearance on Tuesday night, but he was having conversations about his future with club officials.

Boak would need to play on in 2026 to reach the 400-game milestone, and is set for his 33rd Showdown on Saturday night.

While he hasn’t planned out his retirement just yet, he conceded it was at the back of his mind.

“I don’t have an announcement for you tonight, but there’s definitely been those conversations,” he said on AFL 360.

“I’ve had those conversations fro probably the last two or three years.

Travis Boak could be playing in his final Showdown this week. Picture: Steve Bell

“They’ve been around: am I still a value to this side, am I still in good-enough form to play, am I holding anyone back.

“And this year has been even more challenging again with some injuries, we’re going in a new direction next year with Kenny (Hinkley) not being there, and also now the challenge of not playing finals, what does that look like.

“I’m having those discussions now, my body actually feels a lot better now than it did at the start of the year so I’m still really enjoying playing footy.

“So my focus is to provide as much as I can to this team and be the best teammate I can be

“If this is my last Showdown, I’ll definitely enjoy it.”

Originally published as TV Wrap: Boak pushes for standalone showdown, Charlie Curnow asks about move to Gold Coast