Moneyball trade column: Orazio Fantasia, Isaac Smith in demand, latest on Joe Daniher, Bachar Houli and all AFL contract news
Essendon’s Orazio Fantasia is entertaining a move home to South Australia, and preliminary finalist Port Adelaide is understood to be very keen on the Bombers playmaker. This is why.
Trade HQ
Don't miss out on the headlines from Trade HQ. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Essendon’s Orazio Fantasia has passed his first round of independent medical tests as Port Adelaide and Adelaide assess their interest in the injury-prone small forward.
Fantasia is again in a delicate dance over whether he moves back to South Australia as he considers a trade while not ready to fully commit to a public declaration.
The quad injury that ruined his season and surgeries on his knee and hip over the 2019-20 off-season were both assessed and handed to Adelaide and the Power.
The Herald Sun understands the clubs believe there is nothing physically stopping him from becoming the small forward that kicked 39 goals in 2017.
Watch the 2020 Toyota AFL Finals Series on Kayo with every game before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
It is expected he will have more tests to give those clubs full confidence if he does eventually declare his hand.
Fantasia has expressed to friends that he does not believe Essendon’s handling of his injuries helped his chances of playing his best football in recent seasons.
The club was hopeful he would miss only a week with a quad injury that forced him out of Round 2.
He eventually returned in Round 4 and played until Round 7 then missed the rest of the season with more soft-tissue concerns including a calf strain
Essendon great Tim Watson has warned Fantasia not to commit to a move home unless there is interest from South Australian clubs.
But Port Adelaide believes his acquisition would allow Connor Rozee and Zac Butters to play more midfield time.
And Adelaide will likely suspend Tyson Stengle for as many as 8-10 weeks for his cocaine use after handing him a four-week drink-driving suspension earlier in the season.
It means both clubs are interested in Fantasia without being all-in on his recruitment.
Adelaide could secure a second-round compensation pick for Rory Atkins at around pick 21 or 22, which would at least make the Crows more comfortable handing over a selection for Fantasia.
The Crows are intent on restocking their list with elite draft picks and also have interest in GWS midfielder Jackson Hately.
The AFL’s investigation into Brad Crouch and Stengle’s cocaine incident will see them handed a drug strike which will factor into the decision-making of rival clubs.
Adelaide is yet to consider an official punishment for the pair but might be hard-pressed to punish Crouch if he leaves the club.
Meanwhile, Essendon’s Joe Daniher is finishing up a bush trip with teammate James Stewart and is aware he must soon alert the Dons to his intentions as a free agent after their patience to give him time weighing up his future.
Brisbane is his leading suitor if he decides to depart, where he would join Geelong’s Nakia Cockatoo as a player keen to get the best possible care for a body that has failed him in recent seasons.
Adam Saad also has no deadline on his future as he considers whether to accept a five-season deal with Essendon that would make him a Bomber for life.
He was initially offered a five-year contract then only a four-season offer by Essendon, but now the Dons have pulled out all stops to keep a player who has been third in the best-and-fairest in the past three seasons.
DONS LINKED WITH HOULI RETURN
Tiger Marlion Pickett is still waiting for a deal for 2021 alongside teammate Bachar Houli, who has legitimate interest from Essendon for what still seems an extremely unlikely return.
Pickett will be hoping to replicate his heroics of the 2019 Grand Final as he prepares to release a book charting his extraordinary story from jail to a premiership in his first game.
Richmond has always waited until late in the year to contract its senior veterans like Houli.
But as Dion Prestia told the Herald Sun, a player who does such incredible things promoting leadership in the Muslim community through his foundation in’t going anywhere.
Houli said as much in a Triple M interview this week and Prestia is confident the 32-year-old will play on next year.
“It’s pretty interesting. I don’t think Bachar is going too far. Obviously, he has the Bachar Houli Academy which is linked to Punt Road and I can’t see him leaving. I am not too worried about that. Bachar is a great Richmond person and one of the nicest people you would ever meet. He will be around here and finish up with Richmond.”
RELATED: CATS RAMP UP BRAD CROUCH CHASE
FINALS FANS: DOWNLOAD YOUR AFL TEAM POSTER HERE
JOE WEIGHS UP FUTURE ON OUTBACK BUSH BASH
Joe Daniher has chosen an outback adventure over last-minute secret rendezvous meetings with rival suitors as he edges closer to making a decision on his AFL future.
The Essendon restricted free agent — who has fielded offers from a number of AFL clubs — has “gone bush” with teammate James Stewart, far from the madding crowds after leaving the club’s Queensland hub.
It is understood Daniher left shortly after his exit interview with the Bombers following the end of another disappointing season for the club.
He and Stewart headed to the far west of Queensland to the edge of the Simpson Desert, before four-wheel driving north from Birdsville right up to Mt Isa.
A host of AFL players from teams that finished outside the top eight have hit the road since being let out of the hubs after their 2020 campaigns concluded.
Another Bomber contemplating his future, Adam Saad, has also taken time away with his family as he mulls over long-term offers from Essendon and rival clubs.
Daniher managed four games in another injury-interrupted season — all played in the last five rounds — as he worked to overcome a groin problem.
He knows he must make a decision on playing future sooner rather than later, but has relished his relative anonymity getting away from the AFL spotlight on his outback travels.
It comes as former Bombers champion Tim Watson predicted Daniher was “definitely” on the move.
“I absolutely think that he’s definitely going, in all the feedback I got about him (this week),” Watson said on SEN.
“I think he’ll end up (at) Brisbane – and they’ve been talking to him for some time.”
Geelong and Brisbane have been the two most interested parties, while Sydney chased him hard last pre-season but has taken a much more low profile interest this year.
FOUR CLUBS IN RACE FOR HAWKS FLAG HERO
Isaac Smith’s AFL future could be determined in the next fortnight as he weighs up a two-year-deal to stay with Hawthorn against significant interest from at least three rivals.
Smith, 31, endured a tough year with injury, playing only 10 games, which was the lowest tally of his career.
But the triple premiership player has no long-term issues in regard to his body and he could play on for another three or four seasons.
Melbourne is one of those interested parties, with Smith’s outside run being a strong attraction for the Demons.
But the Hawks are believed to be keen on retaining such an important player.
Meanwhile, Collingwood’s attempt to lock away All-Australian defender Darcy Moore on a new deal — believed to be for at least two years — could intensify if the Magpies’ 2020 season comes to an end on Saturday night.
The two parties have been in discussions for a period of time and while Moore wants to stay in black and white, an agreement has yet to be reached.
Daniel Talia desperately wants to honour the final year of a five-year deal with Adelaide, despite suggestions Essendon was keen on him.
Talia, 28, played out the last half of his 2020 campaign, with a torn meniscus.
ATKINS’ MOVE COULD BE A WIN-WIN
Rory Atkins’ free agency move to Gold Coast could be a win-win for both clubs in the mould of the Hugh Greenwood deal a season ago.
The Crows are daring to believe his four-year deal with a simple fifth-year trigger might secure them a second-round compensation pick in the draft, which would come in at pick 21 or 22.
Atkins had played only four games this year and while he is acclaimed as an outstanding character, he wasn’t part of Matthew Nicks’ future plans.
The contentious vision of Nicks explaining the club’s game plan by getting players to move drink bottles at halftime involved Atkins. The point being that he was one of the players not executing the Nicks methodology.
Figures bandied around about Atkins are between $400,000-$500,000 a season.
While he needs to play a certain number of games to get to the fifth season it is not believed to be an arduous bar that has been set.
If he was to secure a deal on $2 million or more it might again strengthen the Crows’ draft hand, which already has them armed with their own No. 1 pick, the Giants’ first pick and the Dogs’ second-rounder.
On the Suns, Will Brodie and Peter Wright are not attracting suitors and might have to stay and work on their weaknesses.
Jarrod Harbrow will sign a new deal but until the Suns are sure of list sizes they won’t know if it’s on the primary or rookie list.
ANY TAKERS FOR DEMONS FORWARD?
Melbourne’s Tom McDonald has pledged to return to pre-season lighter and fitter after another horror season that still could see him traded.
The 194cm key forward has always been one of footy’s most athletic forwards but bulked up to play the power position and endured a miserable season.
He didn’t play after Round 13 and kicked just seven goals from eight shots at goal in 2020.
Still contracted for two more seasons to the Demons, he wants to drop weight to get back to that gut-running player who burned off opponents.
He was publicly linked to a North Melbourne trade but they quickly scotched that talk, proof he doesn’t have many takers yet.
But with the confusion over players like Joe Daniher and Jeremy Cameron means suitors might only emerge late.
The Demons have spent plenty of time on Harley Bennell’s issues this week, frustrated at his total inability to take responsibility for his life.
Players were alarmed by some of his conduct and antics as he was in contact with them via social media in the last week, with Bennell likely to go into a type of rehab facility when he gets home.
SWANS RUCK RAID MIGHT COME UP SHORT
Sydney might have expressed an interest in trading for West Coast ruckman Tom Hickey, but the Swans face a tough task in convincing the Eagles they should let him go.
Journeyman Hickey, at his third AFL club, has played just three games for the Eagles this season but remains a central figure in the club’s finals plans and is likely to be asked to serve out his contract, which expires at the end of next season.
The reason is the Eagles’ ruck structure. Hickey is not regarded as in their best 22 when Nic Naitanui is fit and available. But he is still considered to be their best option to lead the ruck if Naitanui gets injured.
Hickey has played just 23 games in his two seasons at the Eagles since crossing from St Kilda. But 20 of them came in 2019 when Naitanui was recovering from his second knee reconstruction.
West Coast’s forward-ruck option Oscar Allen is unlikely to be played as a lead ruckman. Their best young ruckman Bailey Williams is also considered a forward-ruck option, is just 20 and has played just three times this year for 21 disposals and a goal.
The Eagles do not comment on player contracts but did make it clear that Hickey had one that didn’t expire until the end of 2021.
The club also believes that the shorter game format this season had worked against Hickey getting more opportunities.
In a normal season with longer games they may have been compelled to play a genuine ruck back-up to Naitanui in at least some games to lighten his workload, but they have opted to go with Allen and/or Williams most of the time.
Sydney is desperate for more ruck options after a season in which they literally ran out of genuine ruckmen when Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair went down with injuries.
Defender Aliir Aliir and young forward Hayden McLean pinch-hit in the ruck at times during the season and the Swans will be scouring other clubs for mature ruck bodies for next season.
Both they and cross harbour rival GWS are expected to pitch for Braydon Preuss, who tired of being Todd Goldstein’s understudy at North Melbourne only to shift to Melbourne to be Max Gawn’s understudy.
Hickey will turn 30 next year and has played 102 games after starting at Gold Coast in 2011 and then shifting to St Kilda in 2013.
— Mark Duffield, West Australian
WHERE WILL PITTARD LAND NEXT?
Former North Melbourne defender Jasper Pittard will take time over the next few weeks to make a call on his next step.
Pittard, 29, was one of the Roos’ 11 delistings who was seen as having the potential to try and continue his AFL career elsewhere.
The dashing defender was spotted going for a run last week to maintain fitness.
But the ex-Port and Kangaroos’ playmaker could be happy to kickstart the next chapter of his life after 159 games across 10 years in the AFL.
LIKELY EXTENSION FOR VINDICATED HINKLEY
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley should expect to be rewarded with a contract extension past his deal to 2021 after masterminding the club’s preliminary final berth.
Hinkley’s risk to tip out senior players including Jared Polec and Chad Wingard was rewarded with his first finals victory since 2004 in the 16-point victory over the Cats.
Young stars Connor Rozee, Todd Marshall and Connor Rozee all played their part as Xavier Duursma went back with the flight in a courageous effort that saw him concussed.
Free agent acquisitions Trent McKenzie, Steven Motlop and Tom Rockliff all starred in a glorious night for Hinkley.
He already has a contract for 2021 after taking his side into finals but the Power will consider plans to lock him away past that date at the end of the season.
The club’s football boss Chris Davies said yesterday the Power were not getting ahead of themselves but Hinkley should be proud those big list management risks had paid off.
“I reckon for Ken it was a lot like vindication of the hard decisions he has made, when you see Marshall come good for you under significant duress, you see Rozee, Butters and Duursma perform, and it was just a really good night for our club. There is a real element of pride.”
ASSISTANT COACHES IN DEMAND
Collingwood assistant coach Matthew Boyd and Hawthorn lieutenant Adem Yze are in demand.
Suitors have emerged for both Boyd and Yze as clubs make significant changes to their coaching panels.
North Melbourne this week made the shock call to dump a disappointed Jade Rawlings with two year left on his contract.
His brother, Brady, was part of that call as North’s head of football.
Fremantle has had an interest in Boyd due to his close links to former assistant Justin Longmuir, while Essendon has been linked to Yze.
MORE TRADE NEWS:
MoneyBall column: Patrick Cripps set to ignore free agency and recommit to Carlton during off-season
Moneyball trade special: Collingwood at impasse with forward Brody Mihocek over new deal
Moneyball special: Your club’s obvious and left-field 2020 trade targets
AFL Draft 2020: The next-gen kids your club is eyeing and indicative draft picks
Originally published as Moneyball trade column: Orazio Fantasia, Isaac Smith in demand, latest on Joe Daniher, Bachar Houli and all AFL contract news