Moneyball: The latest trade news and whispers from around the AFL
Brisbane will move fast to try to ward off a poaching raid on star forward Charlie Cameron. Which clubs are interested and how much would he cost? Get all the latest trade buzz right here.
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Look for Brisbane to escalate talks on Charlie Cameron’s contract quick-smart despite noise around that clubs including North Melbourne will try to poach him.
He has another year on a deal that was front-ended and secured him excellent money, but does not quite reflect his role as one of footy’s best small forwards.
Mark Ricciuto recently described Cameron’s deal as “a very, very good contract”, and he wants an even bigger next deal, with speculation he is chasing $800-$850,000.
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No one at Brisbane is anything other than supremely confident that he will remain at the Lions, who have ample cap space after losing Dayne Beams’ salary from their books 18 months ago.
Cameron will be 27 by the end of his current contract so has plenty of elite years left at a Brisbane team that wants for very little apart from another key position forward.
HOW PIES CAN SOLVE DE GOEY CONUNDRUM
The solution to the Jordan De Goey contract conundrum is simple: just go again.
Amid so much gnashing of teeth about what his indecent assault charge and 10-week finger injury will do to his contract price, player managers believe the solution is simple.
He should sign a two-year contract very similar to his current deal – around $750,000 a season slightly back-ended – and then buckle up for a massive free agency deal.
De Goey has been with Collingwood for six seasons, which means a two-season deal negotiated with Pies list boss Ned Guy would take him to free agency at only 26.
Like Brodie Grundy, he could then cash in on the massive 5-7 season deal at Collingwood or pitch his services elsewhere.
When he does strike that free agency deal, it will be as the AFL leads into a new collective bargaining deal for 2023. By that stage it could also be about to emerge from its post-COVID funk.
A long-term deal signed now that sees him come out at 30 years of age doesn’t maximise his earning potential.
But he wants to stay at the Pies and they want to keep him, so all signs point to the Pies keeping Jordan De Goey and Darcy Moore.
De Goey has had some ongoing conversations with managers and might still secure one before his deal is done but he is getting help from his father at present.
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WHY MANAGERS ARE WORRIED
Player managers are growing increasingly worried at the noise coming from within the AFL about how quickly the league wants to pay off its loan from the banks to save football.
Gillon McLachlan was confident about footy’s finances last week when he talked about spending $3-$4 million per week to house players in hubs.
But having extended a line of credit, a fast-tracked payment scheme might mean bigger pay cuts next year for players.
Clubs across the competition are aware of the AFL’s push, having already slashed the football department cap to just over $6 million.
The feeling is that the footy soft cap will remain that low for many years to come.
If the AFL does push hard on more player payment cuts the AFLPA will likely push back just as hard given the sacrifices made by players this year.
It would likely want a more responsible payment of that loan which doesn’t erode the gains made in player salaries, with the NRL already committing to keeping the salary cap at 100 per cent of its current level for 2021.
RUCKMAN MAY NEED THIRD CLUB FOR FIRST CRACK
Braydon Preuss may be wondering whether he picked the right new home.
The big man was considered the best back-up ruck in the competition when he departed North Melbourne for the Demons in exchange for injury-riddled onballer Dom Tyson almost two years ago.
His choice raised eyebrows at the time because it meant Preuss would be stuck behind All-Australian superstar Max Gawn.
Since then, the Demons have added burgeoning ruck-key forward Luke Jackson with the No.3 pick, while Sam Weideman can also chop out in the ruck.
Even 193cm wingman Adam Tomlinson can be used in the ruck at times.
While it is nice for the Demons to have Preuss as insurance for Gawn, his chances of getting a regular senior game appear limited.
The Dees love Jackson’s mobility and follow-up work at ground level and the former Australian basketballer has adapted quickly to the rigours of AFL.
It means 25-year-old Preuss, who this month returned from an achilles injury, might have to consider a third club to help get a proper crack at the top level.
He played in seven games for two wins at Melbourne last season and remains contracted for two more years after this one.
Hawthorn is the latest club to call-up a relief ruckman this year in Keegan Brooksby, following Brisbane (Archie Smith), Essendon (Andrew Phillips), Geelong (Darcy Fort) and Carlton (Marc Pittonet).
HOW BIG WILL LIST CUTS BE?
AFL list managers are growing increasingly confident list sizes will not be cut savagely after the league allowed clubs to sign contracts with players again.
Clubs will not contract borderline players anyway to ensure they have scope to cut their lists if the player cull comes.
And despite AFLPA advice, some player managers are already telling clubs they won’t accept contracts with clauses that would see their players taking pay cuts if the salary cap goes down next year.
Their rationale is that some clubs have refused to insert those clauses to reflect CBA increases, so why should the players accept cuts.
But regardless the mood now is much more positive than when clubs were bracing for list sizes of as little as 35, potentially with some part-time players who could be retained in a rookie-style capacity.
WHAT DOES DUNSTAN’S FUTURE HOLD?
Luke Dunstan’s 2020 season has been ruined by a pectoral injury that could keep him out for another two months.
But that won’t stop the 25-year-old being on the radar of a handful of clubs at season’s end, offering more game time.
The midfielder signed a two-year deal last August, tying him to the Saints until the end of 2021.
But having played the first match of the 2020 season — collecting 21 disposals against the Kangaroos — he was dumped from the team when the season resumed last month.
The Saint, who wears Lenny Hayes’ famous No.7, then suffered his injury in a practice match at Punt Rd that could sideline him right up until the finals.
WILL DOCKERS ASK AGAIN ON GUELFI?
Fremantle made some enquiries during last year’s trade period about Essendon utility Matt Guelfi.
Nothing eventuated, but given Guelfi has managed only two AFL games this season, it wouldn’t surprise if the Dockers had another dip at the native West Australian.
Guelfi, who turns 23 next month, has played 34 games since his 2018 debut. His two this season came in the opening two rounds.
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GIANTS PREPARE TO REPEL VICTORIAN CLUBS FROM JEZZA
– Ben Horne
GWS Giants will recommence talks with off-contract superstar Jeremy Cameron after the AFL ended its four-month player signing freeze.
Getting Cameron’s signature on the dotted line won’t necessarily be a quick process, but the Giants are confident last year’s Coleman medallist wants to stay in Sydney.
Toby Greene returns to the GWS forward line for the must-win Grand Final rematch against Richmond and his presence alongside fellow foundation star Cameron up forward will again be key for a desperate Giants side.
Cameron is a prized target for desperate Victorian clubs as one of the highest profile names coming out of contract.
There is still uncertainty around whether the AFL salary cap will come down from $12.45 million, but GWS are keen to get the ball rolling again after a break in talks during the freeze.
“It means we can now progress the likes of Jeremy Cameron and others. We can actually have more meaningful discussions,” said GWS chief executive David Matthews.
“Up until now, a lot of things in football and in life have been on hold but we’ll stay the course.
“Now that the contract freeze has been lifted, it just means it makes more sense to have conversations again with managers and pick up on conversations that have basically been put on hold. We’ll look to progress some of those in the next month or so.”
GWS also have the likes of Zac Williams, Harry Perryman and Aidan Corr coming off contract.
Meanwhile, Adelaide recruit Sam Jacobs will return to the Giants side after several weeks on the outer after Shane Mumford suffered a minor neck injury last week against Brisbane.
Originally published as Moneyball: The latest trade news and whispers from around the AFL