AFL 2023: Jeremy Howe believes he can play multiple seasons as Pies buoyed by recruit Billy Frampton’s progress

While Tom Mitchell has stolen the headlines, the Pies have been buoyed by another trade acquisition who is putting the pressure on.

Can the Dees keep Kysaiah Pickett? Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Star interceptor Jeremy Howe will enter his 13th season without a contract for next year but believing he can play for multiple seasons in a new-look Pies backline.

Collingwood has been buoyed by the strong summer of former Adelaide defender Billy Frampton, who has been a popular team member and strong participant in match simulation.

The Pies had to cover for the injured Jordan Roughead and ex-VFL recruit Charlie Dean for much of last year due to foot issues but found a bright long-term defender in Nathan Murphy.

He played 16 games and took on many of the big key forwards of the competition, but Frampton will push hard to put competitive pressure on for that role.

Howe has turned 32 but put together another outstanding season, finishing fourth in the Collingwood best-and-fairest as he showed his hamstring issues were firmly behind him.

He has dropped to 84kg – he has recently played at around 86kg – as part of a bid to prolong his career and retain his running power.

While Darcy Moore and Howe are both capable of playing on the opposition’s star tall, the Pies prefer to play them as interceptors who can also use their pace and elite kicking to set up attacking thrusts.

Jeremy Howe is entering a contract year. Picture: Michael Klein

Half-backs John Noble and Isaac Quaynor have both had exceptional pre-seasons so will again help fill out the medium-sized roles alongside the adaptable Brayden Maynard.

Former captain and club champion Scott Pendlebury has also been tasked for a full-time role across half-back after spending some time there in recent seasons.

After crossing from Melbourne at the end of 2015 – where the Pies promised they would return him to the forward line – Howe has always had his contract re-extended before he fell out.

But while there have been no contract talks yet Howe believes he has at least two more seasons left and even more if his body can hold together.

Moore said this week after being appointed captain he was on track for round 1 despite still being managed after a worrying bone infection.

While a more severe case of that infection could have had disastrous consequences the Pies caught his issues early and they are being resolved by medication.

Dees’ plan to strike back for Jackson raid

Melbourne’s secret weapon in its attempt to re-sign star forward Kysaiah Pickett could be an audacious bid to secure best friend and former No.9 draft pick Liam Henry from Fremantle.

Pickett will be the most in-demand player across the trade space this year given a relatively weak free agency pool and his brilliant play across three seasons.

The Demons would like to secure Pickett on a deal of between three and five seasons, hopeful they can commence talks by round 1 which might be resolved by mid-season at the earliest.

Pickett enjoys the company of his teammates and is happy at Melbourne but huge interest from rival clubs means until he is signed the Demons will be nervous about massive offers dragging him out a year after Luke Jackson’s departure.

Liam Henry is in the sights of the Demons. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Contrary to popular belief if Pickett did decide to move on, he would be much likelier to find a new home in West Australia than South Australia.

He grew up in WA before moving to South Australia, eventually living with relative Byron Pickett as he pursued his AFL dream.

He has more family in WA and has active interest from clubs including Fremantle, where good mate Jackson landed over the off-season.

Fremantle could hope to reunite good mates Henry and Pickett in the west but Melbourne has a much higher chance of securing Henry given his untapped talent and friendship with the Demons goalsneak.

Kysaiah Pickett celebrates a goal. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Herald Sun believes Henry is likely to play with a Victorian club in 2024.

Melbourne believes he could add to a Melbourne forward line that lost Toby Bedford to GWS, with Bedford and Pickett close friends before Bedford’s departure.

The Demons were shattered to lose pacy half forward Bedford and believe Henry could play alongside Pickett, who has spent time training in the midfield this summer.

Henry was taken three selections before No.12 pick Pickett in the 2019 national draft but fell out of favour with only seven games in his third season.

The Demons will not be the only suitor, with ex-Carlton recruiter Steve Silvagni bidding on Henry in the 2019 draft (Fremantle matched the bid on the NGA player) and now having landed at St Kilda.