Trade wrap: Swans, Dees inquire about Brody Mihocek as Wade Derksen edges closer to Melbourne move

A stalwart at Collingwood remains at odds with the ladder-leaders over his next deal as the Pies try to squeeze in Jack Silvagni to their salary cap.

Brody Mihocek is refusing to sign his modest one-year contract offer from Collingwood as a series of rival clubs inquire about whether he would depart on a two-year contract offer.

Mihocek is one of a series of Collingwood 30-plus aged stars who have been offered one-year deals as the Pies try to juggle their list priorities.

The Herald Sun revealed last week the Pies had also offered Jack Silvagni a four-year contract but on a modest salary of around $650,000 a season.

The Pies are desperate to be seen to respect their stars and do not believe the Silvagni offer stops them being responsible with offers for their own players.

The Pies and Brody Mihocek are far apart on his next deal. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

But the free agency offer for a rival player a year after Harry Perryman’s $900,000 a season six-year contract has to be a sticking point for stalwarts like Mihocek.

Clubs like Melbourne and Sydney would be in the hunt for Mihocek if it became apparent he was considering leaving, with up to half a dozen clubs making initial inquiries.

Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon urged the Demons to make a play for Mihocek as an unrestricted free agent on Thursday, saying he was exactly the type of player Simon Goodwin’s forward line needed.

Mihocek is 32 but has put together a spectacular season kicking 32 goals from 16 games while also being rested at times to ensure he keeps up his strong form.

In the club’s premiership season of 2023 he kicked 47 goals and believes his body will allow him to play well into his 30s.

He loves the club and would ideally stay but having come through the VFL system he has never been financially rewarded for his exceptional forward line craft.

Jamie Elliott, who will turn 33 in the next fortnight, has been offered a two-year contract after kicking 47 goals in 19 games.

Finding Brody Mihocek has worked out for the Pies

Key defender Jeremy Howe has been offered around $350,000 on a one-year deal that also includes a potential coaching component post-career.

Collingwood has committed to offering deals to its best veterans including Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Elliott, Howe and Mihocek.

But while some have signed bumper free agency deals or secured millions in huge deals to set themselves up financially Mihocek has trodden a different path.

The Burnie premiership player in the Tasmanian league was overlooked in six drafts then played two years at Werribee and two at Port Melbourne before being rookied by the Pies in 2018.

DEES CLOSE IN ON GIANT ACQUISITION

Melbourne is likely to finally secure defender Wade Derksen 12 months after its initial trade request with the Giants aware he will again ask to move to Victoria.

The Giants will lose both of their backup intercept defenders with Leek Aleer now also certain to join St Kilda on a four-year deal.

GWS held Derksen given he was contracted last year but he has been even better in the VFL despite still searching for an AFL debut, averaging 4.1 intercept marks a game.

Having held him because they were desperate for defensive cover last year, the Giants are aware of his wishes and will orchestrate a trade if they can secure a fair return.

Wade Derksen tried to leave GWS in 2024. Picture: Brett Costello

Derksen is now out for the season with a toe injury but with three children aged five and under with partner Deika, including twins, he has wanted for some time to be in Melbourne for family reasons.

The Giants took him in the 2022 mid-season draft after a four-goal display in the WAFL but he has also played with Essendon’s VFL program and for Nightcliff in the Northern Territory.

Only Williamstown’s Luke Parks and Richmond’s Jacob Blight average more intercept marks in the VFL this year.

GWS is aware there is another suitor for him apart from Melbourne.

But the Demons would be in front as they consider their list build, having always believed he could play forward or back as a 24-year-old ready made player.

In round 13 against Gold Coast he took nine intercept marks, had 24 possessions and didn’t miss a target with his 17 kicks.

Leek Aleer is likely off to the Saints. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

So while he will be an unheralded acquisition he is a low-risk, high-upside target.

Aleer has a two-year deal worth $400,000 on the table with the Giants but they cannot improve upon it given they have Sam Taylor, Harry Himmelberg and Connor Idun on big deals and are in talks with 2026 pre-agent Jack Buckley.

St Kilda is prepared to offer four seasons at $750,000, and Aleer is understood to have now got his head around moving on despite his love of the Giants and Sydney’s lifestyle.

Like Tom De Koning he is very keen to know about Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera’s decision, hopeful he will be able to play alongside him next year.

But a St Kilda backline with Alix Tauru, Cal Wilkie and Aleer will suddenly have plenty of intercept power along with runners Jack Sinclair and Wanganeen-Milera when he pushes behind the ball.

Originally published as Trade wrap: Swans, Dees inquire about Brody Mihocek as Wade Derksen edges closer to Melbourne move