Western Bulldogs hope to pull off trade loot as they eye Josh Bruce, Jack Martin and Alex Keath
The Western Bulldogs hope a trio of trade targets can turn them into a long-term premiership threat. Plus Eddie Betts’ potential Carlton conundrum, Ollie Wines, Todd Goldstein, Isaac Smith and more.
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They are the trio of Dogs targets that could turn Luke Beveridge’s team into a long-term premiership threat.
The Western Bulldogs are daring to believe they could secure all of Josh Bruce, Jack Martin and Alex Keath as they strengthen every line of their team for 2020.
The Dogs will take on GWS in an elimination final on Saturday hoping to relive their heroics of 2016 but behind the scenes they are working hard to make deals.
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Gold Coast mid-forward Jack Martin met the Dogs this week where they made an impressive presentation on their future.
He is also considering Carlton’s offer after meeting with the Blues on Tuesday and is now back in Broome pondering those offers while holidaying.
Adelaide intercepter Alex Keath is considering the Dogs and Crows and would perfectly slot into their defence alongside full back Zaine Cordy and fellow marking back Easton Wood.
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And with St Kilda’s Josh Bruce being offered a long-term deal to jump from St Kilda, he is the perfect foil for Aaron Naughton as a contested forward who does the grunt work.
The Dogs have the cap space after years of saving, and are seen to be in front of St Kilda in the chase for Keath.
The Martin decision is genuinely lineball but where last year the Dogs missed out on Chad Wingard to the Hawks, they are genuinely seen by prospects as a team on the rise.
With Bailey Dale signed up for three more years, imagine a forward line with Bruce, Naughton and Josh Schache leaping at packs with Martin and Dale at their feet.
Essendon isn’t officially out of the race for Martin but hasn’t put a deal to him yet amid speculation something big is brewing at the Dons, where Joe Daniher hasn’t hosed down trade talk yet.
Eddie Betts would have to take a significant pay cut if he wanted to land at Carlton next year.
The Blues continue their fact-finding about Betts, which includes close confidante and Carlton coach David Teague meeting the Adelaide goalsneak next year.
The Blues continue to assess the pros and cons and are expected to have a definitive position on the way forward within the next week.
With Adelaide on the hook for $600,000 next year, rival clubs are in no doubt they are keen to move him on given his age and lack of forward pressure.
But there is no way the Blues could pay him $600,000 next season as a 33-year-old.
And Carlton would be reluctant to offer him the kind of two-year deal that could see that money spread out given he would be nearly 35 by the time the contract expired.
So Betts could accept a lesser wage or move to the Gold Coast, where they will offer a two-year deal and a mentoring role moving forward.
Some have painted Steve Silvagni has violently against the Betts move and Teague determined to make it happen but the truth seems more mundane — they just aren’t sure where he fits into their team yet.
Small forwards Sam Gray and Dan Butler have both been linked to the Blues, which would already stiffen their stocks.
Port Adelaide has laughed off speculation that co-captain Ollie Wines could be part of a bombshell move back to Victoria.
Wines has been linked to a move to Essendon to help the Bombers beef-up their engine room.
But Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies today told Moneyball after days of increasing speculation the Power was keen to knock the discussion on the head.
“Ollie isn’t asking for any of this to be spoken about, he hasn’t suggested he wants to go anywhere, we don’t want him to go anywhere. It isn’t anything anyone is considering so it should be shut down,” Davies said.
The star onballer is contracted to Port Adelaide until 2022.
The Power continues to say Sam Powell-Pepper is a required player after 57 games in three years.
However he is out of contract at the end of next year and talk persists that rivals might consider offers for the tough nut midfielder.
Sam Gray has been linked to Carlton and St Kilda and if he gets a two-year deal will likely leave.
St Kilda assistant coach Brendon Lade could play a key role in luring Paddy Ryder to Moorabbin.
Lade was ruck coach at Port Adelaide in 2017 when Ryder won All-Australian honours as part of a career-best season.
Lade has since joined the Saints and is eager to team up with Ryder again next year.
The pair are known to have a good relationship.
Essendon is also chasing Ryder but St Kilda leads the chase.
Geelong’s bid for Todd Goldstein is gathering momentum.
The Cats have made a late play for the free agent and do not have to part with anything in a trade to secure the big man next month.
Goldstein, 31, has shown great durability over his career and would help resolve Chris Scott’s continuing ruck headaches.
West Coast has room to fit Geelong star midfielder Tim Kelly into its salary cap.
The Eagles’ salary cap was thought to be extremely tight after making big money moves to re-sign stars Andrew Gaff and Jeremy McGovern last year.
But West Coast great Andrew Embley, who has the same manager as Kelly, is confident West Coast can still afford the Brownlow Medal contender.
“You’d be surprised. Nic Naitanui has taken a big pay cut and Andrew Gaff is not on as much as you would think,” Embley said on Triple M.
“My understanding is if he does choose the Eagles and leave Geelong, that West Coast has a pretty good offer in there and could afford him in that salary cap.”
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