Is Jesse Hogan heading towards the exit door at Fremantle?
Hogan has battled injury and off-field issues since joining the Dockers at the end of 2018 in a high-profile trade that saw Melbourne secure picks six and 23 in exchange.
The fit-again forward has been trialled in defence in recent scratch matches as coach Justin Longmuir attempts to re-jig his backline without injured pair Alex Pearce and Joel Hamling.
Channel Seven reporter Ryan Daniels explained why Hogan’s future at Freo is a “watch this space”.
“This one is strange. They are trying to turn him into a defender but they are also playing him in these scratch matches half as a forward and half a defender,” Daniels told SEN’s The Captain’s Run.
“He can’t get into the best 22 even though they are screaming out for defenders and also he’s on a lot of money, super talent … something is a little bit off with the Jesse Hogan situation.
“It’s not about his body this time, he’s been training for weeks, he’s been in these scratch matches and they just can’t find a spot for him in the 22.
“To be fair, it’s kind of working what they are doing right now. They’ve won a couple of games, they almost beat Carlton, Matt Taberner's in ripping form.
“But when you’ve got a player like Jesse Hogan and you’re paying him that much money you’re supposed to be playing him in the team.
“Watch this space I reckon with Jesse Hogan; it doesn’t appear to be working. Unfortunately for Fremantle over the years – add Cam McCarthy and Harley Bennell to that list, there’s a long list of guys who they’ve brought in on big money and it just hasn’t worked.”
Should another club in need of a forward weigh up a move for Hogan who has been restricted to just 15 games in almost two years?
“The weird thing about trying to turn him into a defender is all things being equal and things go the right way, Joel Hamling and Alex Pearce should be returning next year, Brennan Cox has looked great, Griffin Logue is on that list, Luke Ryan’s been fantastic this season, they have defenders," Daniels said.
“What are you doing going forward with him? You’re not going to use him in defence next year? So it is a really strange situation.
“If I were a club that was in need of a forward … I think it would be worth it (looking at Hogan) and you wouldn’t be paying the money that Fremantle and Melbourne have had to pay him in the past.
“I tend to think that this is heading towards not working and it has been since it really started, which is a shame because he’s a super talent when he’s up and going.”
Hogan, 25, is under contract at Fremantle until the end of 2021.