AFL 2022: All the latest trade, contract and free agency news

Premiership Demon Luke Jackson might be open to a move to West Coast, but one footy pundit believes trading away talent and picks would ruin the Eagles’ rebuild.

Luke Jackson is a gun, but Kane Cornes reckons the Eagles should steer clear. Picture: Getty Images

West Coast “cannot responsibly” consider trading for Melbourne young gun Luke Jackson given its ailing list profile and lack of recent high-end draft picks, according to footy commentator Kane Cornes.

The Herald Sun revealed details of how the underperforming Eagles have zeroed in on Bulldogs ruckman Tim English with Jackson as a fall-back option as part of a succession plan involving Nic Naitanui.

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“He’s not a free agent, he’s going to cost you … two top-10 picks and he’s going to cost you a million dollars a year for a player who isn’t playing like a million dollars,” Cornes said on SEN.

Luke Jackson is a gun, but Kane Cornes reckons the Eagles should steer clear. Picture: Getty Images

“You cannot responsibly do that deal if you’re West Coast and you’re rebuilding.

“I can’t remember back to whether I would (have agreed to the Tim Kelly deal), but I wouldn’t be doing the Luke Jackson (deal), no way.”

English put off contract talks earlier in the season in a desire to put together a strong block of form. Jackson also comes out of contract at the end of the season and will have suitors, despite the fact the Demons are confident he will recommit in the coming months.

The Eagles have won only one game this season with their 109-point loss to Richmond on Friday night being their first triple digit defeat in 14 years.

Gettable? Star Dee ‘open-minded’ about potential move

—Jon Ralph

West Coast will launch an all-out assault for an established ruckman this off-season with Tim English the No.1 target and Melbourne star Luke Jackson also firmly in its sights.

The Eagles have made it clear they will continue to restock the list via the draft but they have launched a concerted campaign to secure English, given he is out of contract, has long-term girlfriend Rudi Ellis playing professional netball in Western Australia, and is an emerging ruck-forward.

Star ruckman Nic Naitanui is 32 next Wednesday and, while he will sign another one-year deal, the club is desperate to bring in an established ruck star as a succession plan.

English was drafted to the Dogs from South Fremantle.

But, after an extremely impressive start to the 2022 season, the 24-year-old will sit down with his management in Melbourne early next week and is favoured to stay with the Dogs.

Tim English is the No. 1 target for West Coast. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

News Corp reported in the pre-season he had put off contract talks until early in the year, given his desire to put a strong block of football together.

If he makes it clear he is content at the Dogs, those talks could kick off either a two-year deal through to his free-agency period or a long-term deal that could lock him away until he is 30.

That decision would see the Eagles rapidly escalate their interest in brilliant Melbourne 20-year-old Jackson.

He is out of contract and is content to put off his own talks until he is ready to make a firm decision.

But it is understood Jackson is genuinely open minded about whether to remain at Melbourne past 2022 to chase more premierships or return home after growing up as an East Fremantle colt.

West Coast has made it clear it has the cap space for a back-ended long-term deal for a player who would command $1 million a year on the open market.

He is not driven by money, but is especially close to his WA-based family and is yet to make up his mind about whether to stay at the Demons.

Luke Jackson is yet to make up his mind about whether to stay at the Demons. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Melbourne CEO Gary Pert said this month the Demons players had all sacrificed on long-term contracts to give them cap space to retain Jackson and free agent Angus Brayshaw.

Fremantle is not seen as a contender for Dogs ruckman English, given Sean Darcy is only 23 and Matt Taberner is hitting a goalkicking purple patch.

The club’s No.8 draft pick last year Jye Amiss is a 196cm key forward who kicked 51 goals from 15 games in the WAFL Colts last year.

Fremantle’s Rory Lobb is still seen as a strong chance to find himself at a Melbourne club next year and, while that would normally be disastrous, the Dockers believe Amiss will quickly develop.

West Coast’s Brad Sheppard has retired, and Josh Kennedy (35 in August) and Shannon Hurn (35 in September) will likely join him after only agreeing to one-year deals this season.

Jeremy McGovern has one more year on his $1.25 million per season deal, while Jack Darling’s lucrative contract runs through to 2025.

Originally published as AFL 2022: All the latest trade, contract and free agency news