Tom Langdon staying with Collingwood, Jordan Roughead set for trade from Western Bulldogs
JORDAN Roughead will join Tom Langdon at Collingwood next year after the Western Bulldogs ruckman and unsigned Magpies defender both committed to the club.
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JORDAN Roughead will join Tom Langdon at Collingwood next year after the Western Bulldogs ruckman and unsigned Magpies defender both committed to the club.
Western Bulldogs premiership hero Roughead will be traded to the Pies before Wednesday’s 8.30pm deadline after free agency closed on Friday.
Finals star Langdon is holidaying in Africa and has decided to rebuff offers from Sydney and Fremantle to stay at Collingwood.
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The intercept-marking revelation was in Cape Town with his brother, Ed, and father, Chris as he pondered his football future.
Langdon was in transit from South Africa to Tanzania, where he is set to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
On Saturday, he was weighing up whether to either cancel the trek or purchase a satellite phone so he could confirm his football future while completing the hike.
But in an incredible show of loyalty, Langdon has already decided to stay and will most likely sign a two-year deal.
Langdon, 24, took the most intercept marks in the finals series but was not offered a contract by the Magpies until after the Grand Final.
He toured Sydney last week as the Swans pitched an attractive offer and there has always been a desire to play with Dockers brother Ed.
Sydney coach John Longmire gave Langdon a vote in the Norm Smith Medal but the Victorian has told those close to him he would stay.
Langdon’s decision is a major win for Collingwood’s backline but it means the club will have to solely rely on draft picks to try and secure Dayne Beams and Steven May.
Roughead, 27, was a free agent this year but free agency shut on Friday and so the Magpies will have to facilitate a trade.
The former Bulldogs vice-captain told the club last month he would explore his free agency options and appeared set to join West Coast after Nic Naitanui underwent a second knee reconstruction.
But the Eagles instead traded in St Kilda ruckman Tom Hickey, aware that signing Roughead as a free agent would dilute their Scott Lycett (Port Adelaide) compensation selection.
Roughead toured North Melbourne’s Arden St headquarters on Friday as the Kangaroos signed off on the deal to send back-up ruckman Brayden Preuss to Melbourne.
The Kangaroos have also been linked to former Fremantle ruckman Zac Clarke, although Clarke will not be joining the club.
But Roughead is certain to join the Magpies, most likely for a late draft pick in either this year or next year’s national draft.
The Pies hold three selections in the 50s in next month’s draft — No.51, 56 and 57 — as well as No.75.
The versatile big man will be fondly remembered at the Bulldogs for a critical contested mark from a Sydney kick-out deep in the last quarter during the 2016 Grand Final.
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