AFL Trades 2022: Fremantle won’t budge on Rory Lobb trade, Carlton open to Paddy Dow move

The Western Bulldogs and Fremantle met on Monday to discuss a trade for Rory Lobb. And the Dockers made their feelings about a deal very clear.

Blake Acres of the Dockers. Photo by Michael Klein

Rory Lobb is desperate to join his partner Lexi in Melbourne, but Fremantle has twice joked only Aaron Naughton and Marcus Bontempelli would tempt the Dockers to trade the contracted forward.

Fremantle doubled-down on its tough stance on the opening day of the trade period, despite meeting Gold Coast goalkicker Josh Corbett on the weekend.

Securing Corbett, 26, could loosen their tough stance although list manager David Walls was firm on Monday.

“‘Naughts’ and the ‘Bont’,” Walls said when asked what would tempt the Dockers to let Lobb go.

“I caught up with (Western Bulldogs list boss) Sam Power, he’s good to deal with. With what he was talking about I said there’s no way we’re going to get it done.

“He said, ‘Look, I’ll keep ringing you throughout trade period’. I said I’ll chat to you.”

Power said the Bulldogs – who refused to trade Josh Dunkley under contract two years ago – respected Lobb’s status as a contracted player.

“His partner moved over earlier in the year and he’s keen to be with her,” Power said.

“(Walls) actually told the same joke to me (about Naughton and Bontempelli) last week, so he’s obviously pretty happy with it.”

Fremantle says Rory Lobb is a required player. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Dogs want Lobb to play the same role as he has at Fremantle, as a key forward and second ruckman.

But the Dockers rated Lobb’s 2022 season as the best of his nine-year career. He kicked a career-best 36.24, with his last six goals all coming against the Dogs.

“We’ve got no intention of trading Rory,” Walls said.

“Nothing’s changed – 206cm key forwards who kick two goals a game and can go through the ruck are very hard to find.

“We expect Rory to be with us this year. He’s a professional and he’ll be able to come back and work and we’ll support him and get him to have a repeat of the season he had this year.

“We’ve got no intention of trading him. He’s just, they’re so rare guys that can go into the ruck.

“We’ve been saying it for months. Nothing’s changed. I can’t see how Rory won’t be playing for Fremantle next year.”

Walls said Lobb wasn’t frustrated at Fremantle’s stance and backed him to replicate his 2022 season after last year’s failed trade request to Greater Western Sydney.

“Last year there was a request made, which there was really never an offer in the end for Rory, and he came back and had probably his best year of footy ever.

“So he’s done it once, he can do it again.”

Lachie Hunter isn’t leaving the Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Dockers are happy to let Blake Acres go to Carlton because they have depth on the wing but have not given up hope of keeping Griffin Logue, who wants to get to North Melbourne.

“We just rate Griffin so highly. He finished sixth in our Doig (best-and-fairest medal) on Saturday night,” Walls said.

Meanwhile, much-loved premiership Bulldog Lachie Hunter has not requested a trade and remains contracted until 2024.

The Dogs could target Brisbane Lions players in the Dunkley deal because the Lions need draft points to secure father-son Will Ashcroft, who is clearly the best player in this year’s draft.

“They’ve got a bit going on with points, so if it can’t be done with picks then we’ll have to look at players if the deal is going to get done,” Power said.

Blues open to trading former No.3 pick

– Sam Landsberger

Carlton is open to granting Paddy Dow a fresh start after last year’s trade targets Adam Cerra and George Hewett demoted the No.3 draft pick to the VFL.

Dow, 22, remains contracted for 2023 but is exploring his options with the Blues’ blessing.

“Paddy’s contracted. We’ve been pretty open with Paddy and where he’s at, and he’s free to explore his options during this period,” list boss Nick Austin said on Monday.

“He’s shown the level of footy he’s able to play at VFL level. Obviously, our midfield has changed dramatically over the last 12 months, which has starved him of opportunity.

“Paddy’s a professional, he wants to play AFL footy and the opportunities haven’t been there at Carlton.

“Our midfield has changed a lot. Paddy’s an inside midfielder and Paddy’s got some weapons in there that he can use and hopefully he gets an opportunity somewhere else.

“If not we’ll have him back with open arms.”

Paddy Dow is looking for a fresh start at another club. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

The Blues have not yet tabled a new deal to Will Setterfield, but Austin said he was a “required player”.

Dow has played 63 matches but featured just four times under new coach Michael Voss this year. Two of those were as the unused medi-sub.

But the explosive ball winner polled 18 JJ Liston Trophy votes to finish equal-sixth in the VFL best-and-fairest. He averaged 114 ranking points and 29.1 disposals in the VFL.

Carlton has officially withdrawn its interest from Adelaide’s Fischer McAsey and will only look to bring in Fremantle’s Blake Acres this off-season before hitting the national draft.

“We’ve had three national draft picks in the last two years. We’ve been pretty active trading. It’s time for us to go to the draft and get some kids back in,” Austin said.

“The wing role was important for us to address. He’s (Acres) a big body, he’s experienced, 26 years of age and 120 games’ experience.

“He’s going to add to us straight away, which is exciting.”

The Blues currently hold picks 10, 29, 63 and 65.

Blues, Tigers deals to kickstart trade frenzy

– Jon Ralph

Fremantle wingman Blake Acres is set to be confirmed as a Carlton player on Monday for a future third-round selection as Richmond draws closer to a first-day trade for Tim Taranto.

As the AFL trade period kicks into action from 9am with meetings between clubs at Marvel Stadium, deals for Acres and GWS midfielder Bobby Hill are likely to be sealed on Monday.

GWS midfielder Taranto has also had his deal separated from what could have been a trade package with the contracted Jacob Hopper, which has smoothed his path to Punt Rd.

Richmond could trade picks 12 and 19 for Taranto and eventually use pick 31 and a future first-rounder in a package for Hopper, or also include a player in that negotiation.

The Herald Sun revealed last month ruckman Ivan Soldo, pushed out of the senior side late in the year, was one player who could be included in a deal with GWS.

Meanwhile, GWS small forward Hill is expected to be traded to Collingwood for a future second-round pick after a turbulent year in which he battled testicular cancer and then made an official trade request.

Blake Acres is on his way to Carlton. Picture: Michael Klein

Collingwood has a full book of trade priorities given imminent deals for Brodie Grundy, Billy Frampton and Brayden Fiorini must be brokered and a free agency deal lodged for Brisbane’s Dan McStay.

Carlton is awaiting the Dogs lodging a free agency deal for their former defender Liam Jones, which will provide them with some draft compensation in the form of a potential third-round pick.

But the Blues are happy to hand over a future third-rounder next year and use November’s draft selections to get back into the draft in a meaningful manner.

Acres had an exceptional season for the Dockers but was offered only a $180,000 base contract by a club actively looking at securing Gold Coast wingman Jeremy Sharp as a younger version of Acres.

The Dockers were meeting Suns forward Josh Corbett over the weekend in Perth.

While Corbett has Victorian suitors including Essendon, landing the Gold Coast tall in a package with Sharp could help convince the Dockers to trade Rory Lobb to the Dogs.

Tim Taranto could become a Tiger on day one of the trade period. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Blues have been massive players in recent trade periods but this year the Blues have targeted the acquisition of Acres on a three-year $1 million deal to replace delisted wingman Jack Newnes.

Carlton is confident it can secure Tom De Koning and Harry McKay on long-term deals over summer.

Essendon coach Brad Scott is likely to use all the club’s draft capital at the November national draft in a bid to stockpile even more young talent.

Clubs believe bids for Essendon’s father-son pair Alwyn and Jayden Davey are unlikely to come before the club’s second-round pick at 22, so they could take the No.4 pick then selection 22 before securing the exciting pair.

It means the Dons would secure elite talent early and then solve their small forward issues at a club where Tex Wanganeen made an exciting debut before season-ending foot/ankle surgery.

Luke Jackson wants to get to the Dockers. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

North Melbourne believes handing over its future second and third-round selections to the Dockers for Fremantle pair Griffin Logue and Darcy Tucker is a fair trade as negotiations continue this week.

Fremantle will want more given Logue is a former No.8 selection who played 20 games this year, but the Roos’ capacity to drag him into the pre-season draft means they are unlikely to offer an improved deal.

Melbourne’s demand for two top 10 picks for Luke Jackson – or two later first-rounders and a third selection – will drive much of the trade week drama.

The flow-on effect of that deal will have major ramifications on other clubs, with the Herald Sun revealing last week Port Adelaide might be prepared to trade its top-10 pick to the Dockers.

The Power was only able to access a second-round free agency compensation pick for Hawthorn-bound Karl Amon, and will talk to the Eagles about whether that is enough to broker a Willie Rioli trade.

The Eagles offered a three-year deal with a fourth-year trigger for Rioli at only $25,000 a season less than the Port Adelaide offer, and will drive a hard bargain for the exciting forward.

Originally published as AFL Trades 2022: Fremantle won’t budge on Rory Lobb trade, Carlton open to Paddy Dow move