Trade latest: Matt Rowell to stay at Gold Coast Suns, Fagan calls for contract length mandate
Gold Coast is about to complete one of its biggest signings in club history, with superstar midfielder Matt Rowell saying no to Victorian clubs to stay at the Suns.
Gold Coast is about to complete one of its biggest signings in recent years with star midfielder Matt Rowell ready to commit to the Suns on a new two-year deal.
Rowell will be the club’s newest millionaire after spending the first four months of the season pondering offers from the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood, Geelong and Essendon.
It is understood that while he is yet to sign that new deal he has made that commitment to the Suns to stay.
The Herald Sun reported on Monday that clubs had been told he would stay at Gold Coast.
Rowell will receive a significant pay rise given his brilliant 2025 form but will also be keen to keep some money on the table to keep the list together.
His good mate Ben King is out of contract at the end of next year as a free agent but the Suns and those close to him have scoffed at reports he is heading to Collingwood at the end of 2026.
Rowell will be a free agent when he comes out of contract at the end of 2027, but by that stage the Suns would be confident their premiership window is well and truly open.
He is understood to have called several AFL coaches who made detailed presentations to him, including Collingwood’s Craig McRae and Luke Beveridge.
Beveridge was coy when asked whether he had spoken to Rowell about his decision during the week.
But he made clear how much he rated a player who the Dogs are sure to make a play for in two years when he becomes a restricted free agent.
“Well (the Suns) dropped a game today and they’re out of the eight, so is there time to change his mind?,” Beveridge joked.
“I haven’t met with Matthew in-season. Matt and I did meet a while ago, and loved the connection and really enjoyed it, we’ve got some common interests.
“Ultimately he’s an extremely influential player for the Gold Coast Suns. That’s the reason why we were talking to him ... because there was uncertainty and he was thinking that he might come back to Victoria, and as most of the (rival) coaches have said along the way, ‘why wouldn’t you?’ You’re letting the club down if you don’t.
“But we respect his decision, absolutely. I haven’t spoken to him, but I will at some point, and wish him all the best because he’s an outstanding young man, and the Suns are lucky to have him.
“He’ll play good footy for them over the next couple of years beyond this one, and who knows what he’ll do after that.”
The Dogs have vast cap space, so while it will be good news for the Suns they might only redouble their efforts to drag Zak Butters out of Port Adelaide.
He has made clear he plans to honour his contract to the Power until the end of next year, when he is a free agent.
Collingwood also has cap space and an inclination to get busy, while Essendon has two first-round picks and is mulling bringing in more experienced talent.
Port Adelaide’s Miles Bergman has interest from multiple AFL clubs including the Western Bulldogs.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick revealed he spoke with Rowell in the pre-season to understand his position and pitch the club’s direction.
“What we have to do as a club and organisation is hold up our end of the bargain. We have to provide Rowelly with the best place possible to play his best footy and we also have to win footy games – to this stage we probably haven’t delivered on the winning footy games.”
FAGAN CALLS ON AFL TO MANDATE CONTRACT LENGTHS
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has told Andrew Dillon to step in and mandate maximum-length contracts as the game’s challenge with concussion was laid bare this week.
West Coast champion Jeremy McGovern was forced from the game by the AFL’s concussion panel, while Essendon’s Nik Cox was allowed to continue to see if his concussion symptoms abate.
Thankfully for West Coast 90 per cent of McGovern’s contract will be exempt from the cap but Melbourne will have to absorb the final years of Angus Brayshaw’s deal within the salary cap.
The longest permissible new deal in the NBA is a five-year contract, while players with a single year left on their deal can add another five seasons.
The Herald Sun revealed last week that Kysaiah Pickett’s new seven-year extension was worth $12.5 million and would see him locked away for nine total years.
If he was medically retired the Demons would be on the hook for more than $9 million of that salary.
Fagan’s Lions recontracted Hugh McCluggage for seven years last year and are considering a six-year deal for free agent Oscar Allen.
But Fagan told ABC Radio he does not agree with giving out contracts with so little protection for clubs.
“I am really happy we have kept Hugh, he’s an important player for us but philosophically it’s a long commitment to a player,” Fagan said.
“I believe the AFL should intervene and put a limit on how long contracts can be.
“We know concussion can come along to any player and suddenly your career is over. You are left there high and dry with paying that player’s payments for many years and it affects your salary cap. I would like to see the AFL industry regulate that a little bit.”
Fagan said he had also written to the AFL after the Lions’ Grand Final triumph to explain the burden of travel for non-Victorian clubs.
“This is a very uneven competition and a very Melbourne-biased competition and the amount of travel and trouble you have got to, to play AFL football as an interstate club is much different to what Melbourne clubs experience,” he said.
“We could do a lot more about finals. With the Grand Final last year, the amount of organisation we had to do compared to a Collingwood is incredibly different.
“If you are an interstate team and if you want to you should be able to come down and be in Melbourne for the whole week leading up to the Grand Final for the whole week.
“Instead of coming early for the Grand Final parade and bringing families, you wouldn’t believe how much organisation goes into it. I would like the AFL to look strongly at that
“I wrote a paper on it last year after the Grand Final which I have given to them.
“I don’t know if it will ever see the light of day but there are little things we can do to make the competition more equal for everyone.”
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