Joe Daniher looks certain to remain at Essendon with talks stalled over Sydney switch
With one day left in the trade period, Joe Daniher should start thinking about his return to Essendon. As Mark Robinson reveals, Sydney hasn’t even put pick 5 on the table for the contracted forward.
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Joe Daniher’s requested move to Sydney is practically dead in the water as the trade period lurches into its last day.
The Swans and Essendon are so far apart on a Daniher deal it would take an extraordinary change of principle from either team for the trade to go through by Wednesday’s 7.30pm deadline.
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The Herald Sun understands Sydney’s No. 5 pick has not been offered to Essendon in any potential deal, despite reports that it has.
The Swans’ best offer is pick No. 9, which they hope to secure for Tom Papley in a swap with Carlton, and its second round pick No. 25.
Essendon’s asking price is believed to be two first-round selections as well as a star such as Luke Parker, or Nick Blakey or Isaac Heeney, which the Swans will not consider.
The Bombers point blank refuse to weaken their playing list by trading 25-year-old Daniher for draft picks.
Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell, who is understood to have spoken to Daniher since his request for a trade, told the Herald Sun on Tuesday the club was not “prepared to undermine” its list management.
“We understand and respect Joe’s position, but we are not prepared to undermine our list management strategy and will not be trading a player and person of Joe’s quality unless we are satisfied the club is not in a worse position,” Campbell said.
“We don’t think that is an unreasonable position for the club take with a contracted player.”
Wednesday will be a watershed day for both the Swans and the Bombers.
The Swans rarely fail to secure a targeted player and presumably have offered Daniher a long-term deal.
But their commitment to the big forward would be seen as a huge embarrassment if they could not work close a deal.
Essendon’s list build following the drugs supplement scandal has been co-ordinated by Campbell and Adrian Dodoro, the general manager of list and recruiting, and has centred around Daniher as the key forward.
He was one of several players who helped entice Dylan Shiel to the club at the end of 2018.
They can’t now allow him to walk away fully fit with a year to run on his contract for a trade that weakens their chances of playing finals football next year.
Dodoro, the long-time Bombers deal maker, will be central to talks and will refuse to yield on Daniher unless the Swans come with a deal one person familiar with the situation called a trade to “knock your socks off'”.
He believes that if they keep a fit Daniher and he produces next year, the club can sway him to sign a long-term contract. He is currently contracted for the 2020 season.
Externally, some media people say Dodoro is a difficult person to deal with.
Internally, Essendon believes Dodoro is an outstanding operator who is acting in the best interests of the club.
If Dodoro bows down to Sydney on Daniher, it would continue to drive the public narrative the Bombers are a mediocre football club who, this time, can’t keep its best player.
Last year, he secured Shiel with an offer of two first-round draft selections to Greater Western Sydney.
He believes a similar deal — with a player — is required for Daniher
“We’ve made it perfectly clear in regards to Joe that our intention is to keep him,” Dodoro said on Monday.
“We’re working really hard to make sure that’s the case.”
“Our position hasn’t changed. We don’t think this draft will replace a guy of Joey’s ilk — 203cm, a gun key forward, they’re just so hard to find.”
Daniher, who has played just 11 games in two injury-hit seasons, is believed to be still overseas.