Trade buzz: Toby Conway, James Worpel to bide time as Crows ponder chasing Sam Draper
Adelaide is weighing up a play for Sam Draper, while a highly-rated young Cat and Hawks midfielder are set to bide their time on contract talks. Jon Ralph has the trade latest.
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Much-hyped Geelong ruckman Toby Conway is on the verge of winning a new two-year deal as the club’s next generation ruckman.
It comes as high-flyer Ollie Henry awaits a Cats contract offer amid intrigue about his contract value at the club.
Conway is dealing with continuing back issues but as he enters his fourth season he has huge talent expectations with Geelong fans comparing him to premiership star Brad Ottens.
The best of his five games last year saw him win 21 possessions and 11 clearances against Gold Coast, although Sam De Koning will start the season in the ruck given his issues.
Locking away Conway would be a massive boost to the club’s ruck stocks, with De Koning also in talks with the Cats despite strong rival interest.
He is still a matter of months away from a return to the senior side with the back concern but has a big future at the club.
Henry made the massive call to move down the highway after only two years at Collingwood to unite with his brother Jack.
His two seasons have been exceptional – 41 and 37 goals including four goals in the preliminary final against Brisbane last year.
On an open market Henry’s a $700,000-a-year player yet he is wedded to the Cats, who are usually extremely frugal with their contract offers.
So the size of that offer will determine whether this deal is a drawn out affair like the Tyson Stengle contract last year or an early extension for Henry.
He would be open to a long-term deal or a four-year contract through to free agency but he is the future in that forward line along with the emerging Shannon Neale and Jeremy Cameron.
HAWKS MID TO BIDE TIME ON CONTRACT
Hawthorn’s James Worpel is likely to wait until he gets some football under his belt before contract talks open after his fourth placed finish in the Crimmins Medal.
In a very thin free agency market Worpel’s rugged inside midfield style would appeal to many clubs but he is still keen to play in a premiership at the Hawks.
He finished second for clearances behind only Jai Newcombe last year with Will Day hoping to play a full season this year in a tough midfield to crack with first-round picks Josh Ward and Cameron Mackenzie also desperate for centre square action.
So it might take some time for the Hawks to assess his worth before offering a new deal.
Josh Ward is also out of contract and while talks haven’t begun that deal is a formality given his continual improvement across three seasons and a stellar elimination final for the Hawks against the Western Bulldogs.
RUCK BATTLE PENDING?
Adelaide is keen to re-sign free agent Reilly O’Brien despite him being dumped to the SANFL last year and the club’s interest in Essendon free agent Sam Draper.
O’Brien spent two weeks in the SANFL but still led the AFL last year in hit-outs ahead of Brodie Grundy and Oscar McInerney.
Riley Thilthorpe could yet turn into a ruck-forward and the club has just elevated Lachlan McAndrew after 29-year-old Kieren Strachan was put on the inactive list with a serious foot injury.
McAndrew was excellent against Thilthorpe in a recent trial match but it would be foolish to lose O’Brien and also miss on Draper, who wants to stay at the Dons.
The Herald Sun asked Draper point blank if he wanted to stay at Essendon last year.
His reply?
“I love this club. They took a chance on me when no one else did.”
So you are staying for the ride?
“Definitely.”
MOTS KEEN TO LOCK IN CONTRACT
Carlton’s Jesse Motlop is open to an early contract extension after completing his best pre-season in Navy Blue colours.
He sparkled in the club’s clash against St Kilda with three goals and a clever assist and has been backed in by a team that moved on Matthew Owies (West Coast) and Matt Kennedy (Bulldogs).
Having got through the pre-season the South Fremantle junior is keen to remain at Carlton rather than return to Perth.
BIG CONTRACT COMING FOR DEFENDER
Victorian Miles Bergman will wait until the halfway mark of the season to assess his contract as the club backs him in to replace Dan Houston as a brilliant All Australian candidate.
Bergman considered Victorian offers including St Kilda’s overtures in 2023 before signing a two-year deal but is in no hurry to decide 18 months on.
It is a big contract for Bergman, who could potentially sign a six-year deal or longer if he stayed as a 23-year-old in his sixth AFL season.
Stars of his calibre are increasingly giving up their potential free agency rights at eight years to sign six and eight year deals that give them tenure and huge money.
Originally published as Trade buzz: Toby Conway, James Worpel to bide time as Crows ponder chasing Sam Draper
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