Moneyball: Latest trade whispers, contract talk on Jack Martin, Brayden Sier, Todd Goldstein and more, Adelaide’s pick No. 1
Adelaide is in the box seat to land pick No. 1 in this year’s draft after its swap with Carlton, but will the prized selection be on-traded? All the latest trade whispers right here.
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The controversial pick swap which appears certain to land Adelaide the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft could result in a flurry of interest come trade week.
While Brodie Grundy is expected to re-sign with Collingwood, the Crows could be tempted to try to bring one of Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine back to South Australia by sending the prized selection to Gold Coast.
The Crows gained Carlton’s first-round pick in a swap during last year’s draft which netted the Blues Liam Stocker.
But with Carlton two games adrift at the bottom of the ladder, Adelaide is in the box seat to secure one of the best young talents in the country.
If the Suns maintained their current ladder position — 17th — they could land highly-touted Oakleigh Chargers pair Noah Anderson and Matthew Rowell.
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IS JACK MARTIN WORTH $4 MILLION?
Victorian clubs like Carlton and the Western Bulldogs keen to secure Gold Coast’s Jack Martin will have to open their chequebooks wide.
Martin’s contract talks are now all but certain to take place at the end of the season, with the 24-year-old not ruling out staying at the Suns.
But the asking price for Martin could get close to an incredible $4 million if a club is desperate to land him. A club near the bottom of the ladder might need to offer him $700,000 over five or six years. There is also the option of moving to a premier club that would lower the pay demands.
On his current form he isn’t worth anywhere near that, but in a buyer’s market clubs are aware that is how much he would cost.
It is amazing how much potential can cost in a market with few elite targets on offer.
At Fremantle they will be doing some juggling with their cap space to free up cash for Tim Kelly.
But even with Hayden Ballantyne, Aaron Sandilands and likely Harley Bennell retiring, they aren’t seen to have more than $700,000 a season available for the Cats flyer.
FORGOTTEN MIDFIELDER HAPPY AT PIES
Brayden Sier is in the Collingwood squad for Queen’s Birthday and should get his chance to shine in the senior team this weekend after a shocking run with injury.
Rivals will be keen to drag a couple of talented Pies out of the current squad, but right now Sier has shown no inclination to leave despite being out of contract and out of favour at selection.
His management firm TLA’s policy is not to move players unless they are desperately unhappy or not getting opportunities.
If he can stay in the side with Dayne Beams likely done for the year expect him to re-sign with the Pies.
SUNS KNOCKED BACK GOLDSTEIN DEAL
Todd Goldstein has long maintained he never knew of North Melbourne’s plans to trade him.
But the Herald Sun has confirmed the Roos offered him up to Gold Coast in 2015-16 for a hefty price when Rodney Eade coached the club.
The Suns baulked at the asking price of an early draft pick.
Goldstein is back on the market as a free agent and could land at the Saints or Bombers if he wants a fresh start elsewhere. Essendon needs some more ruck support for Tom Bellchambers.
Is he worth $600-$700,000 a season? As a free agent, quite possibly.
If he leaves North Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent suitors are aware his price would be steep, but consider the past 18 months of his career.
Last year he finished the year with 100 SuperCoach points or more in 12 of the Kangaroos’ last 14 games.
This year in 11 rounds he has six 100 SuperCoach point games and three 90-plus point games.
List builders believe free agency can easily add another $100,000 or more to a contract given a club doesn’t have to hand over a pick in exchange.
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THE GWS TARGET YOU HADN’T THOUGHT OF
Clubs are monitoring the situation facing powerful GWS midfielder Aiden Bonar.
The No. 11 draft pick has been unable to play a single senior game so far this season despite some strong form in the NEAFL.
The 188cm ballwinner has serious X-factor and athleticism and has averaged 22 possessions and five clearances in the twos.
The 20-year-old is contracted to the Giants until the end of 2021, and the club has no plans to move the Dandenong product back home to Victoria. But clubs are keeping a close eye on Bonar.
LIAM STOCKER’S NO. 1 FAN
Carlton defender Liam Stocker has a big admirer in former Blues star and assistant coach Matt Lappin.
Stocker has had to endure a hellish introduction to footy given the Blues traded the current No. 1 pick for him, but Queensland-based Lappin says the kid could be a star.
“I have seen some stuff in Stocker that I really like. He is really hard and that is exactly what this list needs. I love the list build and I know it is copping some flak down south, but I think the next coach will come in and cash in,” he said.
“Bolts (Brendon Bolton) has done a lot of leg work but this reminds me of what SOS (Steve Silvagni) has done with GWS. You get through the initial four or five years and then you are away.”
WHO COULD CROWS DEAL NO. 1 PICK FOR?
Adelaide expects Brodie Grundy to re-sign with Collingwood, but its current No. 1 overall pick is still a source of fascination.
Will the Crows attempt to trade it for Grundy or one of Gold Coast pair Izak Rankine or Jack Lukosius, or just use it for No. 1 overall pick Matt Rowell?
List manager Justin Reid and recruiter Hamish Ogilvie are determined to keep their cards close to their cards close to their chest on that front.
Adelaide boys Rankine and Lukosius don’t seem in any hurry yet to sign with the Suns, with their contracts running until October 2020.
Both would be perfect as part of the succession plan for Eddie Betts and Tex Walker.
But the Stocker trade did suffer something of a setback for Adelaide when Brendon Bolton moved on because of the capacity for a spike in the second half of the season under new coach David Teague.
Blues players had finally lost faith with Bolton in recent weeks, believing he had gone back to the ultra-negative tactics of previous years to minimise losses.
On the Crows front, expect Sam Jacobs to re-sign at only 31, with Alex Keath still on track for a long-term deal as his excellent form continues.
TIGER CLOSES ON NEW DEAL
Liam Baker is closing in on a new deal at the Tigers as the young midfielder pushes his overall Rising Star credentials.
Coming off the rookie list, the 173cm midfielder/forward will still sign a base deal with match payments, but should get a nice kick up on his initial deal.
Baker has kicked a goal in every game except last week’s loss to North Melbourne.
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