AFL trade news: Collingwood in box seat to land Dan Houston
Collingwood hopes Dan Houston can put the Pies back in the premiership race after becoming the frontrunner for the Port Adelaide defender. Here’s how the deal could go down.
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Collingwood is in the box seat to land Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston after becoming the frontrunner to secure Gold Coast’s pick 13.
The Suns have confirmed they would prefer to deal with the Magpies first on a potential deal for pick 13 as part of Gold Coast’s chase for John Noble.
It has delivered a huge boost to Collingwood’s hopes of landing Houston as the Magpies would look to on-trade pick 13 to Port Adelaide as the centrepiece of a trade for Houston.
The Magpies would be thrilled to acquire Houston, who is a two-time All-Australian, as he represents a significant upgrade on Noble as a rebounding defender for the senior team next season.
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Collingwood small forward Joe Richards, who has requested a trade to the Power, also looks likely to be involved in the Houston exchange.
Carlton was seen as the frontrunner for Houston, but the Herald Sun revealed on Friday Collingwood had muscled in on its arch-rival in a major twist late last week.
Collingwood would also have to include a sweetener to Gold Coast to land pick 13 for Noble, but the selection looms as one of the most important pieces of the puzzle in this trade period.
And it will have a significant impact on next year’s premiership race as Collingwood has already nabbed GWS free agent Harry Perryman and is in a strong position for Houston.
The two playmakers would help turbo charge the Magpies’ ball movement after missing the finals in 2024.
Port Adelaide also took a strong stance on Monday, saying it would only trade Houston for an attractive deal involving at least one decent draft pick.
Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch confirmed the Herald Sun’s report that the Magpies were chasing Houston as a like-for-like replacement for Noble.
And the 2023 premier holds all the leverage as Collingwood could keep Noble to his contract unless his exit helps unlock pick 13 from the Suns.
Leppitsch said the Magpies were “very” keen on Houston after meeting with the two-time All-Australian.
“We would love to see him in our colours next year,” Leppitsch said.
“Obviously, there’s a lot to play out over the next 10 days or so.
“He is a two-time all Australian in his position.
“Looking at John, who is the same position, and the possibility of him leaving our football club, so there is a pretty obvious replacement there, isn’t there?
“He wants to get to Melbourne first and foremost and there is a couple of us who want his services, but the deal itself will be the most important part.”
Leppitsch said the Pies were in a strong position to receive a good outcome in a Noble trade, if he is released, as expected.
And he said there was uncertainty over picks in the middle rounds of the draft, which underlines the club’s preference for ready-made mature-agent talent as it guns for the 2025 flag.
“When you have a guy like John Noble, you’ve got a 27-year-old established guy, you know what you are getting every week,” he said.
“Maybe pick 1 or 2 (in the draft) you know what you are going to get, but as you hit the middle parts of the draft it is a bit of a raffle at times.”
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Originally published as AFL trade news: Collingwood in box seat to land Dan Houston
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