SEN news breaker Sam McClure says that Jake Stringer currently has a clear preference to where he wants to play next year and beyond.
The journalist for The Age believes that after successful meeting with Geelong officials on Monday, the want-away Western Bulldogs forward will nominate for the Cats late next week in the lead up to the start of the AFL Trade Period on October 2.
“Jake Stringer I can tell you met with Geelong officials on Monday in person. Several key figures of the club’s recruiting department presented to him,” McClure said on SEN Breakfast.
“He likes Geelong, Geelong likes him.
“He as I understand it will nominate his preferred destination by the end of next week for the upcoming trade period and as it stands that club is currently Geelong.”
McClure believes that Stringer will not impact Geelong’s ability to bring two-time premiership player Gary Ablett back to the club from the Gold Coast, with the retirements of Andrew Mackie and Tom Lonergan and the likely exits of Daniel Menzel and Steven Motlop to free up enough salary cap space to bring both players to the Cattery.
The journalist expects the Ablett move will get done early in the trade period once the 33-year-old lodges a transfer request late next week.
However Geelong’s chase for Devon Smith is likely to be the victim of the Cats’ Stringer interest, with the GWS forward now believed to be close to agreeing to a deal with Carlton.
McClure says that Geelong consider their current first selection in the 2017 NAB AFL National Draft, pick 20, will get the Stringer deal done – a thought he believes the Bulldogs won’t agree with.
Garry Lyon agrees with McClure, saying that their offer may need to be changed if fellow suitor Essendon get involved in proceedings.
“It’s a competitive market,” the former Melbourne skipper said.
“Right now that’s a declared hand but if Essendon get involved – (Bombers list manager) Adrian Dodoro yesterday suggested that Essendon are very much interested in Jake Stringer, well then it becomes a competitive marketplace.”
Despite AFL clubs generally taking a player’s preferred destination into account in trade deals, McClure believes that the unique circumstances surrounding Stringer’s exit will mean the Dogs instead search for the best possible offer for the 2015 All-Australian and make use of their power in proceedings.