Jon Ralph and Jay Clark look at the ginger ninja, Dunkley’s deal and the Lion who could be poached
He’s been linked with a host of rival clubs, but would Magpie Brayden Sier entertain a move? Check out the latest contract and free agency news in this week’s Moneyball column with JON RALPH and JAY CLARK.
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Brisbane once had players leaving in droves.
Now they are locked and loaded with talent, as they move to secure key forward Dan McStay and ruckman Stef Martin beyond this year.
All the Lions star kids are locked away past 2019, with rivals likely to consider Lewis Taylor if he can’t get back into the team given his brilliant NEAFL numbers.
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Talks have started with McStay and Martin and should prove little problem, with their seven-year ruckman at times in his career keen to move back to Melbourne but now happy in Queensland.
The Lions have a heap of cap space and are cheering against Collingwood and Gold Coast because they traded their first-rounder but have the Suns’ second-rounder.
Luring players north was once a challenge but they hope recent history shows they are a destination club.
The good news keeps coming at Gold Coast with star forward-ruckman Peter Wright now in talks on a new contract after an early delay.
He is enjoying his footy up north, so the Victorian clubs desperate to lure him home will almost certainly be rebuffed.
Brisbane’s genius move was signing 205cm forward Oscar McInerney until 2021 last year, with a player still officially on the rookie list set to be one of the league’s most hyped players if he can continue his trajectory.
He is already such a cult hero after a matchwinning cameo against the Roos and a matchwinning mark and goal against Port Adelaide.
So much so that the Lions have sold out of his jumper number and club badge for a player who they believe can replicate Mason Cox’s deeds as a 200-plus centimetre forward.
DUNKLEY CLOSING IN ON NEW DEAL
Fresh from his first top-five best-and-fairest finish, Josh Dunkley is closing in on a contract extension with the Dogs.
He has received a contract offer from the Dogs after a slashing 416-possession, 11-goal 2018 and no one expects too many complications before it is signed.
Their greatest story this year could be the out-of-contract Lukas Webb, who is putting together brilliant VFL performances after fracturing his neck last year.
The Dogs shouldn’t have too many issues signing Tom Liberatore, but must find a price point for Bailey Dale, who looked a star in the making in 2017 with 17 goals as an attacking half forward.
Now after setbacks with a navicular fracture he has played the past two games in the VFL in an encouraging sign.
SIER HAPPY AT PIES … FOR NOW
Brayden Sier is more than happy to work hard for his spot in the senior side despite speculation about his trade value as a Magpie.
Sier put together a massive finals series but hasn’t been sighted so far this year, with Garry Lyon wondering why a club like Essendon wouldn’t try to poach the out-of-contract star.
But after returning through the VFL last week after resting some sore spots the previous week, he is more than content at Collingwood.
Sier was a game-changer for the Pies because he perfectly complemented Brodie Grundy’s ruck taps with soft hands that brought the ball to ground in close rather than clearing the Sherrin into space.
Plenty could change if he is constantly overlooked but not too many players want to leave the Pies and he isn’t likely to buck the trend at just 21.
WHY THE GIANTS WERE HAPPY TO LOSE $2.5M
It is the greatest salary dump in AFL history and right now it looks to be paying off.
GWS jettisoned an estimated $2.5 million of salary commitments last year when they let go of Dylan Shiel, Tom Scully, Rory Lobb and Will Setterfield.
They reasoned it would give them cap space to sign up Josh Kelly, Stephen Coniglio, Harry Himmelberg and Jacob Hopper, who were better prospects to remain long-term.
Nick Haynes, Hopper and Himmelberg are signed away, Kelly looks a keeper and the question mark is Coniglio.
At 3-1 and with cheap-as-chips ruckman Shane Mumford firing — on perhaps $600,000 a year less than the highly-paid Lobb it’s coming up trumps.
GINGER NINJA READY TO GO NO. 1
He is the ginger ninja who looks like Cam Ling and could be one lucky team’s new wrecking ball.
Oakleigh Charger Matthew Rowell is on some kind of early-season tear as he pushes teammate Noah Anderson to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
How hot is his form?
In the past two weeks of the NAB League (former TAC Cup) his stats go like this.
Firstly, 167 ranking points, 31 touches, 14 tackles, ten clearances, 16 contested possessions against Calder.
Then 189 ranking points, 31 touches, 11 tackles, eight clearances and six score involvements against Sandringham.
He and the year’s other draft prospects get to take on the Casey Demons at the MCG on Saturday.
WHAT WILL SAUCE DO NEXT?
Shocking timing for Adelaide’s Sam Jacobs, who is off contract and hoping for a big season to shore up his position.
Now out for six weeks with meniscus surgery, he will hope a strong back end to the year can see him prove himself again.
Jacobs had played at least 22 games in the past seven seasons yet as talk swirls about monster offers for Brodie Grundy, he is in no position to wow Adelaide’s list management group after finishing outside the top 10 in last year’s best-and-fairest.
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Melbourne’s public review said it was capable of playing finals, but their game plan had to be refined, now the work begins for Simon Goodwin after a tumultuous 31 months, writes Jon Ralph.