AFL Media’s Cal Twomey has provided his weekly update on a number of players whose names are being thrown around in early trade circles.
Twomey joined SEN Breakfast to discuss several individuals, including Port Adelaide’s Karl Amon, who becomes a free agent this year, and reported interest from Essendon in St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall.
There was also chat about the situations of some specific clubs and the upcoming Mid-Season Draft.
Check out Cal’s update below:
Karl Amon (Port Adelaide)
“He’s certainly a player everyone is watching in the free agency market.
“There is a feel that of all the free agents, he is one who is among the group most likely to leave his club and is up for grabs.
“Hawthorn is one I’ll be watching here. The Hawks as I understand are among the clubs with a level of interest in Amon.
“They were interested a couple of years ago when he was on the trade table, but he didn’t go anywhere there of course and has had a couple of career-best years at Port. St Kilda was also in the race then.”
Blake Acres (Fremantle)
“He’s a lesson that sometimes the steak knives can be pretty sharp.
“He didn’t want to go to Fremantle in 2019. He was settled at the Saints, he didn’t want to leave, he was a first-round draft pick there, but they moved him on to get Bradley Hill.
“He’s in career-best form on the wing for the Dockers.
“As Riley Beveridge reports on AFL Media, contract talks haven’t started yet there.
“In All-Australian contention you’d say on the other wing, potentially across from Ed Langdon, but will miss this week under COVID protocols.
“He has definitely made himself a contract priority at the Dockers and I expect that to ramp up in coming weeks.”
Rowan Marshall (St Kilda)
Essendon reported to be showing interest
“I would be focusing on other areas at the Bombers rather than a ruckman.
“Yes, he would be handy as a forward-ruck option, but if I’m personally looking at what the Bombers are doing, I’d be focusing on trying to get a pure key forward or a bigger inside midfielder or even a key back.
“If he had to move, it would probably be the $700-750,000 mark to wrench him out of St Kilda. I don’t think he wants to go.
“But Essendon still has some work to do to re-sign its three top-20 picks from 2020 before it starts throwing the cash.”
Kyle Langford (Essendon)
“I think Kyle Langford is wanting to stay at the Bombers.
“They’ve missed him since he’s been out since Round 1.
“He’s in negotiations. I think a longer term deal would be the likely option there.”
HAWTHORN MAKES ENQUIRIES ABOUT BOMBERS FREE AGENT
Hawthorn (on targeting both the draft and free agency)
“I think they’ll be a club that surveys the free agency market because they’re still in rebuild mode.
“Another handy draft haul after three top-25 picks last year would be in their planning.
“Free agency, without having to give up picks or players, makes a lot of sense.”
West Coast (on being unable to trade their first-round pick)
“They’ve got pick one at the moment (in the 2022 draft) and they can’t trade it.
“Under the AFL rules, they wouldn’t be allowed to trade that pick because they actually haven’t used more than one first-round pick in the last four years.
“Clubs have to used two first-round picks over a rolling four-year period. It’s basically a handbrake on clubs trading away their future to make sure that they’re in the moment.
“The Eagles have only used one first-round pick in the past four years, which was last year with Campbell Chesser at pick 14.
“People talk about interest in Luke Jackson. I’m sure the Eagles and Freo will be in the hunt there as Melbourne looks to tie him down. But the Eagles can’t trade that pick unless they get a second one in (the first round) this year.
“It’s a little bit of a quirk and something to be aware of. At the moment it’s a pretty early pick, so that will be an interesting watch.”
Collingwood (and the Mid-Season Draft)
“They’re in the mix now, because they actually haven’t had a pick until recently.
“Nathan Kreuger went down with that season-ending shoulder injury, so now all of a sudden the Pies are back in.
“I think this year’s Mid-Season Draft is fascinating. We’re only four weeks away now and there isn’t the standout players at the top-end that last year had.
“Only five clubs have picks and another four clubs now can open up spots. That’s the Magpies, Gold Coast, St Kilda - who can have two picks for Nick Coffield and Jack Hayes - and Adelaide can open up one or maybe two picks for Rory Sloane and Paul Seedsman.
“At the moment we’re up to maybe 10 or 11 selections at the draft. Last year there was 22.
“We saw Aiden Begg debut for the Magpies on the weekend and he was fantastic I thought. Out of last year’s mid-season draft.
“So if you can find one, it’s a free hit. The Pies would be scouring the market now they have a spot open.”