Dan Houston future remains uncertain as Collingwood concedes trade talks have become messy

One of Dan Houston’s suitors has conceded trade talks have become “complicated and messy”, with the All-Australian defender yet to nominate his preferred club five days into the exchange period.

Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch says the soaring value of a first-round pick held by Gold Coast is making it “complicated and messy” for the Magpies to bring across Dan Houston.

Leppitsch said a deal with Port Adelaide and the Suns involving Houston, Jack Lukosius and Magpies defender John Noble was up to its 30th variation, as the Power demanded a higher price than the Pies were currently willing to pay.

In his first off-season as list manager, Leppitsch said the Magpies had to strike a “fine balance” between pursuing Houston and prioritising “the future of the footy club”.

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Complicating matters further is that the dual All-Australian halfback is yet to nominate a preferred destination, with Carlton and North Melbourne remaining interested.

“We’re hoping to get it done, but it’s not going to be easy. That’s the difficult part, getting everyone happy on the deal. We’ve got all these players involved, who are all contracted, and can stay at their own homes, so I guess everyone is holding the card where they can keep that particular player,” Leppitsch told AFL Trade Radio on Friday.

“I’m not sure … we’re a little bit different, because Dan hasn’t nominated a club, so it’s not like he’s definitely coming to us, whereas John (Noble) has got a destination he wants to go, and Jack Lukosius knows where he wants to go.

Any deal to make Dan Houston a Magpie has become “messy”, according to Justin Leppitsch.

“It is getting complicated, and messy at stages, so there is a lot to work through.”

Leppitsch said the Suns’ no. 13 pick, which Port Adelaide wants as part of a trade for Houston, initially looked like an easy get as part of a trade for Noble, but now has multiple suitors.

“At the start, pick 13 was just going to be an easy part of the deal for Nobes, along with other things of course,” he said.

“But now, given the fact it comes a number of other clubs wanting it, Gold Coast probably realises the value it actually has, it unlocks probably more value than what it actually is. Whoever gets a hold of it can do a lot of things with it. Hence why it’s more than just that pick.”

North Melbourne list boss Brady Rawlings said the club was still in the hunt to land Houston.

“I would say we’re still in the mix,” he told Trade Radio.

“His request has been to come back to Victoria and last time I checked we are in Victoria and we are keen to look at him.

“The main thing for us is probably to put something to Port that is attractive for them. Clearly they have a lot to weigh up there with a couple of other clubs coming pretty hard as well.”

Justin Leppitsch says there’s “a lot to work through” for the Magpies.

The Power also reportedly want the Suns’ no. 23 pick as part of a Houston deal even if it includes Collingwood forward Joe Richards, which Leppitsch suggested the Pies were not willing to part with if they secured that pick in the Noble deal.

He said they were mindful of being armed with the picks needed to secure father-son prospect Tom McGuane in 2025, which would be done under the league’s stricter rules coming in next season.

“We’d like to (keep a high draft pick), and that’s probably where the arm wrestle comes in,” Leppitsch said.

“Give up all your draft hand for one player, or go a different tact? That’s where it’s going to come down to for us.

“It’s a very fine balance. We’re respecting that, and we know the value of that, but the future of the footy club is most important.”