Trade buzz: All the latest trade news from across the AFL

Jack Darling has officially requested a move to North Melbourne in 2025 and beyond. How will a deal get done? JON RALPH has more.

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 24: Jack Darling of the Eagles looks on after marking the ball during the round 24 AFL match between Geelong Cats and West Coast Eagles at GMHBA Stadium, on August 24, 2024, in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

West Coast 298-game veteran Jack Darling has officially requested a trade to North Melbourne.

Darling was reportedly closing in on a two-year deal with the Kangaroos after completing a medical on Monday.

West Coast confirmed the trade request on Wednesday afternoon.

Darling was dropped from the Eagles side after interim coach Jarryd Schofield took the reins from departing coach Adam Simpson, with the spearhead struggling with form during the year.

He kicked 22 goals from 21 games as Jake Waterman became the focal point of the forward line.

Forward Jack Darling has requested a trade.https://t.co/dYqtWGqvcP

— West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) September 18, 2024

Darling, who played 298 games at the Eagles and is the club’s second-highest goalkicker on 532, had a year to run on his contract at West Coast.

“The club will now work with North Melbourne towards facilitating that request during next month’s Trade Period,” West Coast said in a statement.

Alastair Clarkson earlier this year said the club was hoping to add more experience to its side, but wouldn’t “sell our soul” to bring in an older head.

Darling has lost much of the spark which helped him kick 532 goals, but is rated as a strong clubman who could drive training standards and help take some pressure off Nick Larkey.

DARLING COMPLETES MEDICAL AT NORTH MELBOURNE

Jack Darling is closing in on a two-year deal at North Melbourne after completing a medical at Arden Street on Monday morning.

But while coach Alastair Clarkson is adamant the club must replace the experience of departing pair Liam Shiels and Hugh Greenwood he has pledged not to “sell our soul” by giving up quality picks for trade targets.

North Melbourne’s bid to secure a handful of premiership players from rival clubs centres on securing the likes of Luke Parker and Darling to ensure their young kids thrive.

The Herald Sun reported last week the Roos were keen to sign Darling despite his age and relative lack of success at West Coast in recent seasons.

Jack Darling is closing in on a move to the Kangaroos. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

North Melbourne might hope to absorb most of his salary and spread it out over multiple seasons so they can hand over a late pick for the premiership player.

But even those close to Darling are aware he has lost much of his explosive power and has lost his leap, making it harder to get separation from opponents.

Clarkson said at the club’s best and fairest the Roos had to bring in more experienced types to support their mid-tier leadership.

“With ‘Pup’ (Liam Shiels) going out of the footy club and Hugh Greenwood, it’s just how important they were to the fabric of the footy club with their leadership off it,” he said.

“We have got to make sure we search for a couple of other guys who might be able to replace those guys in terms of really valuable leadership for us going forward, but the secret to our footy club is the youth of the club and getting regular games into those guys.

“We can’t afford to get too many of those guys in and suffocate opportunities for our young blokes at the same time but with the retirement of Hugh and Pup we have to get greater depth in that space so Luke (McDonald) and Jy (Simpkin) and Nick (Larkey) who have been around the block get support. We will look at that but we don’t want to sell our soul to do it. It is in Todd (Viney, Brady (Rawlings) and Will Thursfield’s wheelhouse and it will transpire in the first couple of weeks of October.”

West Coast are keen to move on some of their experienced players. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

West Coast’s Darling has played 298 games with the Eagles, who are open to moving on some of their older players if they can secure draft picks in exchange.

Darling has three children and while he is prepared to move across the country he would not do so unless he gets at least a two-year deal.

North Melbourne would love a second key forward to take the reliance off Nick Larkey, with Cam Zurhaar more of a mid-sized forward.

Ideally Callum Coleman-Jones would have provided that target but he has played only 22 senior games in his three seasons at the Roos despite being on a contract just short of $500,000 a year.

Jaidyn Stephenson also has another year on a contract worth $500,000, with the former Pie kicking eight goals from 12 senior games this year.

The Roos seem hopeful Sydney star Parker will consider their overtures, with the 31-year-old contracted for another year but not ruling out a move when interviewed on radio last week.

Luke Davies Uniacke won the club’s best and fairest ahead of Tristan Xerri over the weekend, with Harry Sheezel unlucky to only finish third.

But he did miss the final two games, with Sheezel second on 161 votes to Davies-Uniacke’s 176 votes with five rounds left when the final leaderboard was flashed up on the night.

Originally published as Trade buzz: All the latest trade news from across the AFL