AFL trade news: Ill-timed snub will cost Ben Brown $1 million

Playing hard-to-get has cost Ben Brown big time after a series of unfortunate incidents conspired against the Kangaroos star in a bad way.

Ben Brown will be a little lighter in the hip pocket.

The AFL enjoyed a bye on the weekend before the finals start but there are still plenty of discussions being had about trade targets for 2021.

Ben Brown is on the lookout for a new home after North Melbourne told the 27-year-old he wasn’t part of the club’s plans next year, and the tall forward has reportedly cost himself a $1 million payday by not accepting the Kangaroos’ initial offer.

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SEN’s Sam Edmund reports the Roos tabled Brown a three-year deal worth close to $850,000 a season at the start of 2020, but he wanted four years so didn’t sign. Then COVID-19 hit, North Melbourne fell off a cliff to finish 17th and a knee injury ended Brown’s season early, creating what Edmund described as an “extraordinary” situation that will hit the sharpshooter’s hip pocket hard.

Brown was coming off three straight seasons kicking at least 60 goals but managed just eight majors from nine games this year.

“His manager Adam Ramanauskas was pushing for a fourth year in concrete, then COVID hit, North plummeted, Brown went with them and then a huge change in direction has ensued,” Edmund told SEN Breakfast.

“It’s going to cost Ben Brown. He will end up somewhere, but it’s going to cost him a couple of hundred thousand per year now you’d think, perhaps close to $1 million over the course of his next contract. It is a massive change of direction.”

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Ben Brown will be kicking goals for someone else in 2021.

Adam Saad is one of several Essendon players whose futures are up in the air, yet to put pen to paper despite a four-year contract being placed in front of him.

The Bombers are facing competition from the likes of Carlton, North Melbourne and Richmond for the rebounding defender’s services and Edmund reports Saad is a real chance to leave Tullamarine after another disappointing campaign.

“Adam Saad was ultimately concerned over the direction the club is heading in,” Edmund said. “They want speed off half-back, these clubs. The Blues are leading the queue here.

“He’s still weighing it up, but a real chance of leaving.”

Channel 7’s Tom Browne told the Triple M Hot Breakfast Carlton is coming hard for Saad, having spoken with him twice in recent days after missing out on Richmond’s Jack Graham.

Edmund also reports Jeremy Cameron will likely stay a Giant, while Melbourne is sniffing around Kangaroo Jared Polec.