AFL: All the latest trade and free agency whispers and news
Speculation surrounding Melbourne star Luke Jackson caught fire over the weekend, and it is has been dismissed in no uncertain terms.
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Melbourne ruckman Luke Jackson’s offers from Fremantle and West Coast are south of $1 million a season as he prepares for a contract decision based on loyalty versus a return to family in West Australia.
West Coast club great Peter Sumich’s speculation of a $10.5 million deal over seven seasons caught fire over the weekend but has been dismissed as utter rubbish.
The Herald Sun understands Melbourne has already tabled a multi-year deal for Jackson that is not far short of what Fremantle and West Coast would offer.
All three deals are lucrative but far from ridiculous, with West Coast’s salary cap tight and Fremantle attempting to build a premiership list.
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At 20, industry experts suggest a fair deal at Melbourne would be around $800,000 per season and be in line with deals for young stars Sam Walsh, Ben King and Max King.
The contract figures are good news for Melbourne because they will not be blown out of the water by an offer Jackson cannot refuse.
Melbourne hopes it can keep him, with triple premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis urging him to stay to win more premierships over the weekend.
Insane deals worth over $1 million a season are believed to have come from fellow Victorian sides in offers that are designed to see if Jackson would move for money alone.
But as he prepares to lead Melbourne’s ruck department in the absence of injured skipper Max Gawn for a month, his only consideration is where he wants to play his football.
Jackson will be extremely well paid in his future and will not make a short-term decision to leave or stay based on money.
West Coast has the No.1 overall draft pick but has to use a first-round pick this season after trading out several in recent years.
Under the AFL’s rules it would need to split its No.1 overall pick or secure another selection by trading a veteran player if it wanted to hand one to Melbourne for Jackson.
Lewis told Fox Footy’s First Crack on Sunday night Jackson should remain at the Demons.
“It is a decision that, quite often if you haven’t got the right people around you, you can think short term.
“Melbourne right now is clearly in the premiership window, Luke Jackson has been a part of that, I can imagine if you are a young player you want to continue to be a part of that.
Can you then sacrifice a little bit of money to stay in a side that is clearly at the top echelon to play and perform?”
DON’T BELIEVE NORTH YOUNG GUNS WILL WALK
North Melbourne’s Jason Horne-Francis and Tarryn Thomas are certain to see out their contracts for 2023 and 2024 respectively, despite the intense focus that comes with playing for a battling side.
Horne-Francis has endured a tough introduction to AFL football with poor body language at times and a suspension this week for a strike on Josh Kelly.
But despite Horne-Francis liking a fake trade with Port Adelaide on social media, he is determined to see out his initial two-year deal.
Horne-Francis has conceded within the club that he plays an emotional brand of football and has to learn how to curb his frustrations on the field.
He is said to be generally happy with his early months at the club despite small issues like coming to grips with rules and protocols around recovery and massage.
The late arrival of Horne-Francis to a meeting also caused an early-morning swim as a group punishment.
But he has no intention of attempting to get back to Adelaide at year’s end despite reports.
GWS first-year No.1 pick Tom Boyd did get home after his first season but it would never have happened if the Giants weren’t keen on Dogs captain Ryan Griffen.
Thomas signed a new two-year deal in February and while he has been in poor form he has played high half forward in a diabolical team.
His poor training standards saw him dropped last week, with the club saying he needed to win back the trust of the playing group.
He can be so much better, having shown that form as a member of the top 10 in the latest super draft that saw the King boys, Sam Walsh, Connor Rozee and Bailey Smith selected.
But the Roos are determined to work with him to improve his workrate and exact elite training standards from him so he can maximise his potential.North Melbourne dual premiership star David King told Fox Footy’s First Crack on Sunday: “He needs to pull his head in, it’s as simple as that”.
“I know he’s a star factor player. He’s abusing his teammates on field. There’s problems with his own game that he’s not really presenting his best footy, yet he’s happy to spray guys that are 300-gamers.’
Boomer’s belief in young Roo
Newly-minted Australian Football Hall of Fame member Brent Harvey has launched a spirited defence of young Kangaroos midfielder Will Phillips, insisting the club’s 2020 No.3 draft pick will end up having a successful AFL career.
Harvey, who passed on his famous No.29 to Phillips, cautioned against making early draft assessments and firmly backed North Melbourne’s list-management strategy and future direction.
Phillips played 16 games in his first AFL season last year, but has yet to play a senior game this year after being sidelined by glandular fever and illness.
The Kangaroos came under fire recently after young Sydney key forward Logan McDonald – chosen with pick four immediately after Phillips – kicked three goals to help sink Melbourne in Round 12.
But Harvey has faith that Phillips, who turned 20 last month, is a work in progress and has a good future ahead of him.
“He (Phillips) is a ripper; he is going to be a good player,” Harvey said of the young midfielder.
“I know people make comparisons with certain players who got taken after him in the draft, but give Will a couple of years, and you will see him at his best.
“He hasn’t had the smoothest ride in his first few years. He’s had some injuries and illness.
“He will turn it around and in a couple of years everyone will say ‘that’s why you took him’.
“Everyone thinks success is a straight line uphill, but it is not. There are some hiccups that can get in your way. These are the things that make you stronger.”
Harvey has worked closely with Phillips and the other Kangaroos youngsters in his development role at the club.
“I have amazing faith (in this club),” he said.
“We have got some really good people at our football club.”
“The boys know where we are, the people at the footy club know where we are and we are too big and too proud not to turn this thing around.
“I see how hard the boys work. It does turn around, as we have seen before with Richmond and Melbourne. We have just got to hang in there and we have got to stick together, which is what this club has always done.”
If Lion doesn’t McStay, Pies could be destination
Collingwood is firming as the likeliest destination for Daniel McStay if he chooses to exercise his free agency rights and leave Brisbane, industry sources believe.
Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle – which could lose Rory Lobb to a Melbourne club, a year after he tried to return to the Giants – have also been raised as potential landing points for the key forward.
This year is seen as the sweet spot for McStay to cash in, especially with the Lions already upping their original three-year offer to five.
The Demons and Bulldogs have both had challenges scoring this year, while Magpies coach Craig McRae revealed the depth of his concern with his forward stocks after beating Melbourne on Monday.
Brody Mihocek ended up playing a matchwinning role with four goals after not training in the week leading up because of bone bruising in one of his knees.
“Geez, I was nervous when I thought he wasn’t going to play,” McRae said of Mihocek.
“We just don’t have the depth in that position to bring somebody else in to play that role.”
Port’s call on old stagers
Port Adelaide expects Robbie Gray to join Travis Boak in playing on into 2023 despite battling with a knee injury that will see him managed this week.
Gray and Boak are not yet in meaningful talks but the Power needs to find more goal power from its small and mid-sized forwards rather than less.
So Gray will sign another one-year deal, with the Power expecting Boak to play on for multiple seasons given his brilliant form.
What that means for his next contract remains to be seen as he comes off a two-year deal _ another two seasons, one year, or one year with a games-based trigger.
Red-hot Tiger
Liam Baker will stay put at Richmond as their Mr Fix-it with one of the options a three-year deal that would get him through to free agency.
The Tigers and his management have had early talks and while they aren’t significantly progressed he will stay at Tigerland.
Baker has played everywhere across the field for Richmond and is one of their first players picked given his versatility, hardness and dependability.
Richmond is still to recontract Dan Rioli and Maurice Rioli, but Nathan Broad has hit a trigger in his contract and is locked in to the end of 2023.
Giants eye Blue coup
Carlton assistant Ashley Hansen has emerged as a dark horse in the race in the race to coach Greater Western Sydney as his stocks continue to rise.
The Giants are continuing to work through their selection process and will aim to interview a series of highly-rated assistants as well as Hawthorn premiership mastermind Alastair Clarkson.
It remains unclear if James Hird, who is serving current stand-in coach Mark McVeigh, will put his hand up to replace Leon Cameron in the top job for 2023.
Clarkson remains the favourite for the gig but the Giants could yet go down the same path as Collingwood (Craig McRae) and Fremantle (Justin Longmuir) and appoint the best assistant, regardless of their public profile.
Hansen, 39, has been lauded for his work with the fast-rising Blues this season with Michael Voss’s men eyeing a top-four berth despite a swathe of injuries.
Adem Yze (Melbourne), Adam Kingsley (Richmond) and Don Pyke (Sydney) are also considered among the best assistants in the country and senior coaching candidates.
Hansen, who won a premiership at West Coast as a hard-leading forward, helped steer the Western Bulldogs to a flag in 2016 amid a decade at the kennel.
Hansen is forwards and offensive coach at Carlton and is highly-rated for his strategy and tactical understanding as well as his player and staff relationships.
Aish on track for new deal
One of Collingwood’s salary cap squeeze victims played off in last year’s Grand Final and there might prove to be a second this season.
James Aish is almost in career-best form and while there is still some work to be done, he seems certain to win a new deal with Fremantle after averaging more than 20 disposals in his 12 games this season.
He is in the final year of his current deal with the Dockers and has been one of the reasons why his team sits in third spot on the ladder.
Aish, 26, was squeezed out of Collingwood due to salary cap pressure the year before the club’s controversial trade period that saw Adam Treloar, Jaidyn Stephenson and Tom Phillips depart.
But the Magpies’ loss has been Freo’s gain as he played in a myriad of roles under Justin Longmuir in the past three seasons, barely missing a game at his third AFL club, and a new deal seems a formality.
Amartey party venue change?
Young Sydney key forward/back-up ruckman Joel Amartey seems certain to come under the radar of rival AFL clubs, given his lack of senior opportunities with the Swans this season.
Amartey, 22, still has another year left to run on his deal – inked midway through last season – and given his potential the Swans see him as a required player in the red and white.
Having had groin surgery in the off-season, Amartey missed a fair chunk of the pre-season.
But he has only managed two senior games this season – in Rounds 3 and 12, the latter when Lance Franklin was out suspended.
With Franklin certain to play on again next season, some clubs (including a few Victorian ones) are expected to make inquiries about the 197cm player, who has played only nine games in three seasons.
The 2018 rookie pick has talent and deserves greater senior exposure.
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