Trade chatter: All the latest movement and signing whispers out of the AFL
Port Adelaide’s Karl Amon is attracting significant rival interest – and that was before he was dropped by Ken Hinkley. More clubs are now set to inquire about the free agent.
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Dropped Port Adelaide star Karl Amon is attracting massive rival interest as the elite midfielder attempts to win back his exceptional 2021 form in the SANFL this week.
Amon is out of contract and also one of the few unrestricted free agents on the open market with real pulling power and star talent.
News Corp understands clubs have been lodging expressions of interest in Amon for many months, with the Power’s decision to drop him sure to have more rivals asking about his status.
Port Adelaide would not be able to match an offer for the unrestricted free agent but is extremely keen to secure the wingman past 2022.
Amon’s mother Katrina was appointed as St Kilda’s indigenous development manager in February after 34 years in the education sector at Parkdale Secondary College. The former Hampden Rovers junior was taken at pick 68 in the 2013 national draft, with the Saints clearly one of the sides which will monitor his progress this season.
St Kilda and Hawthorn have both made previous attempts to secure Amon but he stayed at Port Adelaide and put together easily the best season of his career as Port Adelaide pushed deep into September last year.
He averaged career-highs in disposals (24), marks (six), inside 50s (five) and tackles (four) as he was named in the All Australian squad of 40 with star teammates Ollie Wines and Aliir Aliir.
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Port Adelaide assistant coach Chad Cornes said on Friday Amon had been dropped after mediocre form extending as far back as the pre-season, adamant he needed a “jolt”.
But the decision did raise eyebrows, given he still ranks elite in clearances and pressure this year, despite kicking Champion Data ranks as poor.
He has kicked 1.7 in 2022 – a season where the Power have lost all five games.
Amon turns 27 in August but clubs have shown they would give four-year deals to players like the Port Adelaide wingman because they have to give up nothing as trade collateral.
Unrestricted free agents are also attractive because clubs do not have to get into bidding wars with their established clubs, given a free agency deal is unable to be matched.
St Kilda’s level of interest this time around is not known but it does need elite speed, with the Saints having cap space after missing out on Max King’s brother Ben.
Dan Hannebery’s decision last year to take a sizeable pay cut has also been lauded internally as he tries to work his way back from calf surgery, giving the Saints more cap options.
Hawthorn is more likely in a development phase this time around, given Amon would be 27 next year.
The Hawks have significant cap space and the inclination to use the draft, trade period and free agency to improve their list, but whether they wait another year for a free agency bid remains to be seen.
Of the other free agents, Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey is keen to stay at the Pies with early talks on Jamie Elliott’s deal slowing after he broke his AC joint.
James Sicily isn’t far from starting talks on a new deal but will stay at the Hawks, Dan McStay is considering six-year $600,000 per season offers and Alex Pearce becomes a free agent at Fremantle.
Angus Brayshaw is happy at Melbourne but would definitely love more midfield time as he postpones contract talks, while Jake Lloyd has started discussions at Sydney.
News Corp reported last month Caleb Daniel was closing in on a multi-year contract at the Dogs, but Bailey Dale is not yet ready to commit to the Dogs.
But Richmond’s Jayden Short isn’t far from committing to the Tigers on a new deal as the club and his management haggle over his price.
When unvaccinated stars will be allowed to return
The AFL believes retaining its vaccination mandate until the end of the season will help safeguard the season against more Covid outbreaks.
The league is intent on retaining the current protocols despite the NSW and Victorian governments softening their double-jab rules in many industries.
It believes the hard-line stance — with players still required to have rapid tests before entering club facilities — has helped the league combat the spread of Covid.
The decision means Carlton’s Liam Jones will have to wait until next season if he aims to kickstart his AFL career.
His good mate Levi Casboult told the Herald Sun last month the retired Blues defender was in career-best shape.
Casboult had lobbied the Gold Coast recruiting team to consider Jones for 2023.
Jones might have been able to ask for special permission to be included in the mid-season draft if the league dropped its mandates given he officially retired from Carlton with a payout.
But that decision is irrelevant, which means Jones will finish the season in the QAFL.
St Kilda AFLW player Georgia Patrikios is unwilling to be vaccinated but it is not known if the league’s mandates will ease by the AFLW season starting in August.
Clubs in Victoria and NSW are thrilled by the easing of rules over close contacts which mean they should have greater player availability in coming months.
Under new guidelines close contacts do not have to isolate after a negative test, with many sidelined in the early rounds of the season because of a family member testing positive.
Fremantle will not be able to call upon multiple players and coaches this weekend against Carlton due to Covid issues.
WA rules still require players to isolate for seven days as a close contact, with South Australian businesses calling upon their health authorities to fall into line with NSW and Victoria.
Queensland has also hinted at easing their rules when the Covid peak is reached but is yet to make a definitive decision.
Vic clubs circle in-demand Docker
Victorian clubs searching for a lockdown key defender have made overtures to Fremantle top-10 pick Griffin Logue as he falls out of favour at the Dockers.
Logue is strongly favoured to move to a Melbourne-based club next year given he is out of contract and being chased hard by teams keen for a quality defensive stopper.
The Swan Districts defender played 16 games last year as he looked to have hit his straps after being taken by the Dockers at pick 8 in the 2016 national draft.
But he has played only three of a possible five games so far this year with Alex Pearce and Luke Ryan taking the key defensive position spots.
AFLW SIGN AND TRADE LATEST CHATTER
The 194cm tall ranks elite for one-on-one contests and is above average for intercept marks and kicking according to Champion Data stats.
Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond all need more defensive cover and one of them might consider a 24-year-old entering his peak.
Essendon continues to be savaged by the opposition’s best tall, with Michael Hurley still attempting a comeback but expected to retire at the end of the season.
Collingwood recruited Williamstown’s Charlie Dean but he has been struck down by a foot injury with Jordan Roughead providing excellent service but turning 32 in November.
The Dockers have roared up the AFL ladder after stockpiling a heap of exciting young kids, with captain Nathan Fyfe (back) expected to return before the mid-season bye.
There is still conjecture about whether key forward Rory Lobb will again ask for a trade at year’s end but at least he has played every game and kicked seven goals as a reliable forward target.
Return of the Mac
Gold Coast’s No.5 draft pick Mac Andrew says he believes in the bright future of the Suns after signing a new two-year extension before even playing a senior AFL game.
The Herald Sun can reveal the Sudanese swingman has committed to the Suns until 2025, determined to honour the legacy of his culture in the same manner as Aliir Aliir and teammate Mabior Chol.
A player whose parents fled war-torn South Sudan for Egypt and then Australia is a stunning athletic beast who was always going to take some time in the VFL to find his feet.
But after strong performances as a marking defender a debut isn’t far away for the former Dandenong Stingray.
And the Suns have locked in another key part of their future after signing up Ben King, with talks on Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine heading in the right direction.
Andrews was linked to Melbourne as an NGA star but after roaring up the draft charts the Demons lost his rights when he became a top-20 pick, yet he is more than at home on the Gold Coast.
“The contract was all finalised in the last week or so, so I am really happy and settling in well with a really good group of boys, so I didn’t think twice,” he told the Herald Sun.
“The majority of my family is in Melbourne, if not all of them, so I came up here excited but I didn’t know what to expect.
“But there are a lot of younger boys and I have a good group of friends. It’s a change of scenery being really hot all the time but I am starting to adapt. The pre-season was tough trying to put on weight and sweating it off on the track but it’s been great journey.’’
Already the 2021 national draft looks special with Jason Horne-Francis (No.1), Nick Daicos (pick 4) and Josh Rachele making blinding early starts but Andrew will quickly make up for lost time.
In his four VFL games he has already taken on AFL regulars like Sydney’s Sam Reid and Callum Sinclair and is averaging 16 possessions and five marks with plenty of enticing cameos.
For a player who estimates he has played less than 20 AFL games since the start of Covid it is great just to get back into the rhythm of football once more.
“It’s been going up against AFL-listed players. They are fast-paced games and I am playing on that third tall and trying to play to my strengths with intercepting and getting up the ground more,” he said.
“I arrived at 79kg and am 81 or 82kg right now so it’s trying to have enough strength to hold my own but not lose traits likely athleticism and agility.
“The feedback is to play some consistent footy before I get my chance. I am being real patient until that opportunity comes.It’s been real good seeing mates I played with and formed a great connection with go on and play AFL footy. Guys like Connor MacDonald who is a close mate of mine and even guys like Rachele who I played with.”
Indigenous programs co-ordinator Jarrod Harbrow has taken Andrew under his wing as he builds a connection with ex-Richmond player Chol and the club’s Aboriginal players.
“You do look up to the (Sudanese) boys and to think I will potentially be on the field with them one day, it gives me a great feeling to grow the game within the Sudanese community.
“Long story short, my parents had my brother in South Sudan and then fled to Egypt where they had me and my and another brother and they were there for three years then came here.
“We have been here for the majority of our lives so it’s been a real journey my family went on.
“I couldn’t be more grateful. To go out every day to represent my culture and where it came from, it’s just a huge honour.”
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