Moneyball: Follow all the latest trade, contract and draft news across the AFL

Mason Cox attracted trade interest last year and is out of contract at the end of the season. Stand-in Pies coach Robert Harvey has had his say on the big American.

Quinton Narkle of the Cats. Picture: Michael Klein

Collingwood has made clear the terms for Mason Cox to continue his career at the Pies.

Cox is out of contract this year and was quiet when recalled against Port Adelaide last week with a single goal from five possessions.

But stand-in coach Robert Harvey is adamant the forward’s papers are not stamped despite being out of contract after only seven games this season.

“No, there is no writing on the wall,” Harvey said.

“What will be, will be. In the end you earn your right or you don’t. When he plays his best he makes us better and in the end whatever happens, happens.

“You put your hand up and play your role and you get your chance.

“For Mason his feedback has been really clear, his contest and aerial stuff is what we are after and he continues to work on that.

“When he does bring that he makes us better.”

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Mason Cox has played seven games in 2021 for eight goals.

Harvey said the Pies were determined to win games while simultaneously blooding young players. Midfielder Reef McInnes has played two games back from injury but is not yet fit enough to make his debut.

The Pies traded their first-round pick last year and it could end up being the No.1 overall selection if Collingwood cannot win some of its last four games.

“We are trying to win games, there is no doubt about that. We want to win some games coming in and play good footy,” Harvey said.

“Of course we don’t want to finish down there. That stuff is not even entering our heads.”

FIVE CLUBS CIRCLE CAT NARKLE
Five AFL clubs have expressed interest in Geelong’s Quinton Narkle as a damaging midfield cameo against Richmond on Sunday provided yet another timely reminder of his worth.

But Geelong is still not out of the race to retain the 23-year-old inside midfielder as he channels all his energy into trying to help lift the Cats to their first flag in a decade.

In 41 minutes of game time against the Tigers after the injured Joel Selwood was subbed out of the game, Narkle had eight clearances, kicked a goal and 10 of his 12 possessions were contested.

Asked how many clubs had inquired about Narkle, his manager Ralph Carr said: “Around five clubs … all have been very professional and respectful.”

Carr said he had spoken to Narkle about the interest from rival clubs “in passing”, but he stressed no decision would be made on his future until the end of the season.

“The main focus is playing well for Geelong and helping Geelong to win a premiership,” Carr said.

“Geelong have been fantastic in terms of working together to get the most important result — Quinton playing great footy.

“Andrew Mackie and Shaun Grigg have been great (for him).”

Quinton Narkle is in demand.

Narkle has played 13 games for the Cats this year — for a total of 30 career games since his 2018 debut — but Geelong’s great strength has meant he has sometimes been overlooked at selection, to the surprise of many.

Asked what sort of asset Narkle would be to another club, Carr said: “If he moved … yes, it’s hard to get inside mids that can go forward as well and kick goals.

“He has the ability to find the ball and he will only get better. I am a huge fan of Quinton’s.”

PIES IN SURPRISE DAICOS DILEMMA

Greater Western Sydney could pile on the pain for Collingwood in this year’s draft with a worst-case-scenario bid on underage sensation Nick Daicos.

The Giants last year nabbed the Magpies’ top draft pick, which could become the No. 1 choice if Collingwood loses its next four games and finishes last this year.

Remarkably, it means the Giants would have the first selection in this year’s draft and could bid on Daicos first-up with what was originally Collingwood’s pick, making the Pies pay the maximum price for Daicos in draft points (total value of other picks).

It would be a headshaking result for Collingwood, which has endured a disastrous year on the trade and draft front after giving away Adam Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson for peanuts.

But it also showed the Pies never thought the club would slide so far on the field this season as Collingwood would not have done the deal if it thought its first pick would be a top-five selection.

Nick Daicos in action for Vic Metro in an under-age match at Windy Hill. Picture: Michael Klein

The Magpies face a tough run home without champion captain Scott Pendlebury, playing West Coast, Hawthorn, Brisbane and Essendon.

Analyst David King said the current draft pick predicament was a disastrous situation for the Pies and potentially the greatest list management mistake in recent times.

“If they finish last and won the wooden spoon and had their first pick, they would’ve been able to get Jason Horne – the boom recruit everyone’s talking about in Adelaide – with their first pick and then wait for another club to bid on Nick Daicos,” King said on Fox Footy.

“They would’ve had the best two kids in the draft in one season. But because they’ve traded that pick out, it doesn’t work any more. They can only get Daicos.”

FEARS OF A FIZZER TRADE PERIOD

The AFL is planning for an October 4-13 trade period that would again culminate in a Wednesday night prime time finish to the annual meat market.

The league is increasingly optimistic it can finish the season on time, even though the MCG has fall-back weeks available in its schedule should an unforeseen Covid-19 curve ball strike.

It doesn’t need to hand the fixture over for cricket until late October.

The league will again kickstart its free agency period on the Friday after the Grand Final, then start the trade period the following Monday.

The issue for the AFL is with so few clubs having any salary cap space the trade period looms as a potential fizzer.

Clubs believe there will be few marquee trades after they pushed salary cap cuts back into 2022 as part of league rules.

BOMBER SAVES CAREER, SET FOR NEW DEAL

Essendon is in talks with reborn defender Jayden Laverde about a new multi-year deal after he finally settled down as an intercepting defender.

The No.20 selection in the 2014 national draft has for years attempted to find a role in the first-choice team, and has this year been slotted into the back six.

After signing a one-year deal late last year he has played every game, averaging 2.3 intercept marks and 5.8 intercept possessions.

Talks are underway after he became another Ben Rutten success story.

But it is understood Irving Mosquito will not return to Essendon after taking a leave of absence earlier in the year.

James Hird’s son Tom, a category B rookie, is expected to be handed another season as a project player and has shown signs after playing soccer through his teens but has a lot of development left in him.

Bombers youngster Tom Hird is spoken to by Patrick McCartin during a VFL practice match against Southport Sharks.

PIES AIM FOR PERFECT 10 WITH YOUNGSTERS

Collingwood is keen to match its incredible 10 debutants from the 2004 season by handing first-year midfielder Reef McInnes a late-season debut.

It would mean the Pies’ rebuild would have seen it pump games into 18 players who had played fewer than 15 games entering the season.

In Collingwood’s much-scrutinised list build it tipped out Adam Treloar, Jaidyn Stephenson, Tom Phillips and Atu Bosenavulagi, and the Pies still won’t have cap space for a free agent this year.

But they will by the end of next season, when they will be open to throwing cash at their biggest need as a midfielder or key position player.

Young Magpie Reef McInnes competes with Richmond’s Matt Parker during a round 13 VFL match at Punt Rd on July 11, 2021.

The Pies’ 2021 first-gamers are Ollie Henry, Beau McCreery, Finlay Macrae, Caleb Poulter, Jay Rantall, Trent Bianco, Anton Tohill, Jack Ginnivan and Tom Wilson.

Henry, McCreery, Macrae, Poulter, Bianco all look players of the future, and goalsneak Ginnivan was exciting on debut against Port Adelaide

Further players to take the field this year with under 15 games experience include Will Kelly (one), Mark Keane (one), Max Lynch (one), Nathan Murphy (four), Trey Ruscoe (four), Tyler Brown (nine), Darcy Cameron (11), plus Isaac Quaynor (15).

Talks are underway on Scott Pendlebury’s latest one-year deal, while the Pies are likely to get another mid-draft pick if Max Lynch or Mason Cox leaves.

ROOS’ LIST MANAGEMENT MASTERSTROKE

North Melbourne’s fight to retain Todd Goldstein in the face of strong interest from Geelong and St Kilda has paid rich dividends this season.

Remarkably, the 33-year-old remains a strong chance to win the club’s best-and-fairest this year after playing all 18 games so far this season including another stellar performance in the win against Carlton.

His ruckwork helped the Roos dominate the centre clearances 22-9 and clearances 42-27 over the Blues on Saturday, with Goldstein racking up 30 hitouts, 15 touches and a goal.

Goldstein re-signed at North until the end of next year on about $500,000 a season after turning down advances from Geelong in 2019 to bolster its premiership tilt as well as St Kilda.

Todd Goldstein has had another superb season.

It has proven to be a masterstroke re-signing from the Roos as Goldstein has been in stellar form since recomittinmg at Arden St instead of filling in a missing piece of the Cats’ premiership puzzle.

Others in contention for the Roos’ best-and-fairest include Jy Simpkin, Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell, while Tarryn Thomas has also been outstanding in his breakout year.

McCARTIN KEEPS HIS NAMES IN LIGHTS

Paddy McCartin kicked three goals for Essendon’s VFL side against Southport to again push his claims for an AFL rebirth.

With so many clubs keen for key forwards they will heavily scrutinise his performances as a key back and forward this year.

But the bigger issue will be ensuring he is given the AFL’s approval to be on a senior list given clubs are aware of their significant duty of care to players with a concussion history.

The positive for McCartin is despite his long history of concussion he has not had an issue this season playing VFL for Sydney and the Dons.

McCartin can be taken as an unrestricted free agent on a one-year deal, but it will be club medicos as much as recruiters who would make the call on his future.

Paddy McCartin trains with Swans champion Lance Franklin and is still hopeful of finding his way back onto an AFL list.

SUNS KEEP STRONG DRAFT HAND

Gold Coast looks certain to retain a top-20 draft pick under its AFL assistance package as one of its freebie selections roars into the selection frame.

The Suns were handed a pick at the start of the second round in this November’s draft as part of a suite of picks handed out by the league because of their disastrous record.

The AFL has reserved the right to remove that pick if the Suns shot up the ladder, but with the Suns having won only six games so far there is no prospect of that happening.

The Suns also secured the right to select players from the Northern Territory, and last weekend NT selection Joel Jeffrey kicked nine goals straight in the VFL.

Jeffrey could have been a top-15 draft pick last November but was added to the Suns list without them handing over a pick.

The nine-goal VFL haul included a spectacular mix of crumbing goals, contested marks and set shots in a 198-SuperCoach point, 10-mark outing.

The Suns are desperate for a partner in crime for star Ben King but might have found him after Jeffrey — who was recruited as a key defender — kicked 5.4 against Sydney in a scratch match the previous week.