West Coast not chasing Todd Goldstein but talking to Nathan Vardy, Will Minson

UPDATE: West Coast says it is ‘casting a wide net’ to solve its big man crisis, but North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein won’t be heading to Perth.

Todd Goldstein in action.

WEST COAST says it is “casting a wide net” to solve its big man crisis, but North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein won’t be heading to Perth.

Reports suggesting Goldstein has gone through a medical check at West Coast have been categorically denied by both clubs and Goldstein’s management.

The 28-year-old has not been to Perth in the off-season.

The Kangaroos are adamant the All-Australian big man will not be traded and will line up for the Roos in Round 1 next season.

He has three children living in Melbourne.

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The Eagles are searching for tall talent after losing ruckman Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett to long-term injuries, but footy boss Craig Vozzo said the club was not making a play for Goldstein.

“I reckon that one’s fiction, unless the coach is scheming something behind my back,” he said.

“He’s a wonderful player, but to get a player like that to your football club requires a fair bit of planning and he’s not one we’re able to do.”

Rumours of a Todd Goldstein trade are off the mark, according to West Coast.

Port Adelaide’s Matthew Lobbe is also not on West Coast’s radar, but Vozzo confirmed Geelong ruck-forward Nathan Vardy had visited the club during the week for medical tests and said he had also spoken to Bulldog Will Minson.

Delisted North Melbourne veteran Drew Petrie is also in the mix.

“He (Petrie) is someone we’ll consider during the (delisted) free agency period,” Vozzo told Perth radio station 6PR.

“It will be largely dependant what we get through the door either through the next couple of weeks or the draft.

“We’ve cast a pretty wide net ... we’ve spoken to managers of a number of players and a number of players as well.”

Mitch Brown has spoken to more than one Melbourne club.

Vozzo said defender Mitch Brown would return to Victoria but Eric Mackenzie is likely to be wearing an Eagles jumper next season.

Brown’s twin brother Nathan plays for Collingwood — although he remains out of contract — and his wife Shae has signed with the Magpies’ netball team.

“Mitch is looking at all of his options and the preference is (living in) Melbourne. I’m not quite sure what he’s been able to organise, but I think he’s been in front of a couple of clubs so far via his manager Liam Pickering, so he’s likely heading east,” Vozzo said.

“As we’ve said before, we’re very comfortable with Eric on our list. I think there is some interest from other clubs but the deal would have to be something that suits all parties for that to occur, otherwise he’ll be playing for us.”

Vozzo said the Eagles rated Docker Hayden Ballantyne highly but a small forward wasn’t a recruiting priority, and revealed more details of the shock trade for former Hawk Sam Mitchell.

“We spoke to Hawthorn probably 12 months ago about speaking to Sam about life after playing, so I guess that’s the genesis of the idea.

“Then over the last couple of weeks ... it escalated around the times of the Brownlow as a concept, then from there once Sam indicated it was something he would seriously consider, the parties got to work.”