Moneyball: All the latest AFL trade and contract news
Victorian clubs are lining up to try and lure Matt Rowell out of Gold Coast. But there’s a big sticking point which could force him to remain in Queensland.
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Matt Rowell would find it extremely difficult to get to the club of his choice this year given the Suns’ determination to open a premiership window instead of stockpiling more picks.
The Suns are brimming with optimism that Rowell will sign a new contract, but even if he has doubts a two-year deal getting him to free agency would give him the chance to move elsewhere by the end of 2027.
They are not even considering what it would take for a rival club to trade for Rowell, with Essendon, Collingwood, Geelong and the Bulldogs having met the inside mid over summer.
But the Suns already have three first-round picks and would in theory want a top-six player in exchange for a star of Rowell’s quality after 25 Brownlow votes last year.
They have in the past been keen to retain high draft picks given salary cap pressures but signalled their intent this summer by handing over pick six in a deal for Daniel Rioli.
Rowell is less likely to consider Collingwood despite his meeting with the Pies and left his discussions with the Dogs impressed by Luke Beveridge.
But Beveridge is no guarantee to be at the Dogs next year given he hasn’t been offered a new deal.
So a club like Essendon with multiple first-rounders this year would have to satisfy the Suns with one of their A grade talents, which would off-set the benefits of securing Rowell.
FINN MISS COULD FORCE SAINTS TO PAY TOP DOLLAR FOR STAR
St Kilda’s massive $17 million contract offer for Finn Callaghan is expected to have an inflationary effect on Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera’s contract as he parks discussions for now on a new deal.
Port Adelaide and Adelaide are expected to launch bids to secure the South Australian but he is seen as reasonably happy at St Kilda and far from desperate to return home.
It gives St Kilda a strong chance to re-sign him after another excellent season finishing fifth in the club’s best-and-fairest in only his third year.
St Kilda was already expected to have to part with up to $1 million a season for Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera given his exceptional kicking skills and huge upside.
But the offer to Callaghan, who missed the top 10 in the best-and-fairest in his third season, puts his asking price in a new light.
The Saints will be desperate not to lose their brilliant half back but the market has been set for a player of his calibre.
While there is always a price for players to leave their clubs and a price to stay, it will give him all the leverage in the world.
When Wanganeen-Milera re-signed until the end of 2023 he expressed his desire to stay long-term so Saints fans shouldn’t panic about the lack of a signature yet.
“Hopefully we win the second premiership and hopefully more,’’ he said.
“I think we’re on the right path and it’s something I want to be part of.’’
PIES DUE A PAY RISE
Collingwood’s ‘half-price Pies’ Darcy Cameron and Bobby Hill have attracted plenty of interest from rival AFL clubs, despite both being contracted until the end of next year.
But the Magpies remain confident they can lock in extensions for the star ruckman and enterprising small forward, which would see them rewarded with a big uptake on their current bargain-basement deals of between $400,000 to $450,000.
The pair have been strong pick-ups for the Magpies since arriving at the club, with Cameron considered one of the best ruckmen in the AFL right now and Hill producing a stunning Norm Smith Medal performance in the 2023 grand final.
West Coast is becoming more aggressive in the player acquisition space and has an interest in Cameron, who originally comes from Western Australia, as does Hill.
Collingwood brought in free agent Harry Perryman and traded to secure Dan Houston last October on deals believed to be worth up to $900,000.
Cameron told the Herald Sun this week that he is happy at the Magpies, but will let his manager work through a possible new deal with the club.
HAWK TALKS
Hawthorn has had early talks with Lloyd Meek’s management as a priority signing but as the 26-year-old emerges as one of footy’s best rucks they might have to pay up to lock him away.
Meek is one of the few priority signings at the Hawks this year along with Calsher Dear and free agent James Worpel.
Talks are yet to advance for Worpel, but Meek’s situation is intriguing after he came across from the Dockers on a modest three-year deal.
The Hawks landed Meek and a second-round pick when they moved on Jaeger O’Meara (and a future fourth-rounder), while also paying some of O’Meara’s wage.
But after starting out of the Hawthorn side last year he played 21 exceptional games and was one of the club’s best in last week’s Opening Round win over Sydney.
The Hawks are also expecting to ramp up discussions with small forward Nick Watson in the coming months with an extended deal likely to be done by mid-season.
Watson finished last season with strong performances in the finals, kicking 25.27 from his 15 games.
But he is coming off just four disposals in last week’s clash with Sydney where he was held goalless by Sam Wicks and copped criticism for ducking his head on a few occasions.
Watson is contracted until the end of 2026, but the Hawks will look to lock him in long-term.
NO MOTLOP DEAL YET
Jesse Motlop could become the Blues’ best small forward option this season, but don’t expect an early resolution to his contract status.
The Herald Sun understands Motlop, who managed only seven games last year mainly due to a nagging toe issue, and the club have parked discussion on a deal beyond this season until he gets some good form underway.
The 21-year-old has had a flawless pre-season preparation and will go into Thursday’s game against Richmond as one of the Carlton players to watch this season.
FATHER-SON FEARS
Gold Coast will put every resource into convincing academy player Kalani White to choose them despite fears he might see more opportunity at Melbourne as a father-son prospect.
The son of Jeff White (32 games at Fremantle, 236 at Melbourne) could choose either club but is seen to be leaning towards the Demons at this stage early in the season.
He spent time at both clubs over the summer and at 204cm is an athletic freak who only needs to play some eye-catching football to become a top-20 pick this season.
But while the Demons can pitch early opportunities as a ruckman or key position player given their list profile, he could be caught in a key position logjam at Gold Coast.
The club has young emerging stars like Mac Andrew, Ethan Read, Jed Walter filling key position spots, with White playing four VFL games in defence for the Gold Coast team in their Coates League games last year.
They are thrilled with his progress and will throw everything at him in a bid to secure him as an academy talent.
But he is very raw and rival recruiters believe he will need to develop a more combative edge in the AFL where spring-heeled players get their run taken away by opponents.
Jeff White said last year the decision was for his son to make.
“For him it is a big decision to make (between the Dees and Suns). It is not me, all of it is him. He is in a fortunate position where he can make the choice and he has just got to enjoy the journey,” he said.
PETRACCA BRUSHES OFF TRADE, UNREST RUMOURS
Christian Petracca has moved to new management but has made clear the move has nothing to do with his football future or last year’s contentious King’s Birthday incident.
Petracca has left the powerful Connors Sports stable and will be managed by talent and partnerships expert Anna Scullie.
Scullie negotiated the five-year deal for Geelong’s Tyson Stengle last year and is the wife of AFL legend Eddie Betts.
It is understood she began helping Petracca’s wife Bella with some of the Melbourne’s star’s business and commercial deals last August to streamline his interests.
She has also negotiated a series of high profile commercial deals for Betts across his 350-game AFL career.
A Petracca media representative confirmed to the Herald Sun on Monday night Petracca had moved to Scullie.
But those close to Petracca have stressed the deal has no connection with his football future after an aborted trade request last year after he suffered internal injuries on King’s Birthday in a marking contest.
Scullie’s strategies working with Blues and Adelaide star Betts included ensuring he focused on performance as a footballer as she concentrated on maximising his off-field interests.
Scullie is not an accredited player agent so while she can negotiate business deals she is not able to broker a new contract for Petracca.
But he said recently he was as happy as he had been in some time and planned to honour a lucrative contract which runs through to the 2029 season.
Scullie was able to broker a deal for Stengle after the Herald Sun revealed she had been given special permission by the AFL given their unique family situation helping him after he left Adelaide.
Petracca said recently he wanted to stay at Melbourne and did not apologise for his strong stance as he raised issues about the club’s future.
“I’m passionate, I’m competitive and I want this club to be great and, yeah, I had honest conversations about where I think we can improve as a footy club both on and off the field,” Petracca said.
“(Coach Simon Goodwin) and the footy club have been awesome over the last four or five months in off-season and pre-season devising a plan and making the club connected.
“And as a footy club, that’s all we want for our fans to be happy and proud.”
DEMONS DISCARD TO BE REWARDED BY GIANTS
Toby Bedford is set to be rewarded with a fresh contract of up to four years as the Giants tick off their list of priority signings only weeks into the AFL season.
Fresh from a star tagging performance that reduced Nick Daicos to a cramping mess, Bedford can lay claim to being the AFL’s best tagger.
The fittest player at GWS has developed his tagging craft since halfway through last season and also has the lateral movement to shut out his match-winning opponents.
The Giants and his management are deep in talks on a deal of at least three seasons but likely four years.
Bedford crossed to the Giants two seasons ago as a small forward under-utilised by the Demons who used him as their super sub across the 2022 season.
Now, they would be wondering if they could have utilised him more to retain him, given his quality midfield performances, after losing him despite offering a three-year deal.
He was the medical sub in 10 of his games for the Demons in 2022 and was unused on many of those occasions.
Bedford can expect a hefty price rise after he was secured with the No.44 pick in the trade with the Demons.
His performance so agitated Collingwood coach Craig McRae on Sunday that he clapped him in a mocking fashion after he gave away a 50m penalty as he tangled with Reef McInnes as he came off the ground.
The Giants have already re-signed Finn O’Callaghan on a four-year, $4 million deal despite St Kilda’s $17 million offer and tucked away Connor Idun on a fresh six-year deal.
GWS will attempt to hold onto key talls Leek Aleer and Wade Derksen but given they are down the pecking order clubs will come hard for both of those talented players at year’s end.
But locking away the trio of priority signings will allow the Giants to focus on players out of contract next year, including Aaron Cadman, Darcy Jones and Kieren Briggs.
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