Collingwood trades James Aish as salary cap squeeze looms
Collingwood traded James Aish to Fremantle in a last-minute move to clear salary cap space but faces a much bigger challenge trying to keep stars including Brodie Grundy.
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Collingwood believes recruit Darcy Cameron can play in the same side as Brodie Grundy as the Pies continue to haggle over their All-Australian ruckman’s seven-year contract demand.
The Magpies kept midfielders Tom Phillips and Rupert Wills but lost half-back James Aish to Fremantle as the club tries to clear salary cap space.
Collingwood effectively lost Aish to Fremantle in a salary cap dump, securing a future second and fourth-rounder but giving back pick 69 and a future third-round pick.
Pies list manager Ned Guy said the club could “absolutely” keep its list together despite the contract talks ahead on Grundy, Darcy Moore, Jordan De Goey and Scott Pendlebury.
He said the Magpies were keen to continue contract negotiations with captain Pendlebury over the summer, hopeful of locking away an extension past 2020 before Round 1.
Cameron was a star ruckman in the NEAFL while playing for Sydney, but the Swans let him go for almost nothing in a trade of late picks.
Yet the Pies believe he can not only play ruck when Grundy needs a rest, he is capable of holding up as a key forward next season.
The 205cm, 103kg ruckman has played only a single AFL game but the Pies have kept an eye on him for some time as a forward.
“(He has a) really strong aerial presence up forward and brings some really good ruck depth for us,” Guy said.
“Brodie is a superstar and it allows him to have a bit more of a rest and play forward too.”
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Guy said he had been talking with Grundy and his management over the season but the star ruckman seems to be in no rush to sign on if the deal isn’t for seven years.
Rival clubs are looking on with interest, adamant they would give up $1 million for Grundy in a flash if he became available as a free agent.
There is a premium of as much as 20 per cent that clubs are prepared to play for free agents because they don’t have to hand over picks in exchange.
As soon as the Dockers appointed new coach Justin Longmuir they were keen to acquire Aish, who
comes via Brisbane and then the Pies.
As Fremantle football boss Peter Bell said tonight, Aish was good enough to play in all of the Pies’ four finals last year and the preliminary final after shoulder surgery this year.
He is able to play on the wing and at half-back, but the Pies have now let go of Sam Murray and Aish, believing Isaac Quaynor and Brayden Maynard can fill those roles.
Phillips has two more years on his contract and has been brilliant, playing 50 games in the past two years and winning more than 1300 possessions as a regular goalkicker.
But the fact the Pies even considered whether they might trade him illustrates how tight their cap is, with Phillips due a healthy salary next year given bonuses in his contract.