SEN Chief Reporter Sam Edmund has provided the latest on where things sit as the 2022 trade period approaches.
Speaking on SEN’s Crunch Time, Edmund provided updates on a number of out of contract stars.
He gave the latest on the likely futures of Luke Jackson, Brodie Grundy, Izak Rankine, Dyson Heppell + more!
Luke Jackson and Rory Lobb
“Melbourne has gone from supreme confidence about keeping him (Jackson) to a growing concern.
“The facts are when you strip away all the speculation, if you’re an unsigned player at this point in the season the percentages would say that you’re more inclined to announce you're leaving to a rival club as opposed to staying.
“I think that’s the bare facts at the moment.
“What we do know is that Melbourne is absolutely in the hunt for a key forward, whether that’s because they know that Luke Jackson is leaving or they were going down this path anyway.
“They have tried and failed to get a few key forwards on the hook so far this year and they’re absolutely asking around for one now.
“If you’re playing the percentages again, Rory Lobb is almost certain to leave Fremantle, he tried 12 months ago and they couldn’t orchestrate it and everything we hear is that he’s well and truly wanting to move this year.
“Does he potentially end up at Melbourne?
"This is a hypothetical scenario, with Luke Jackson going out and Rory Lobb comes in, are they intertwined in a trade in some way shape or form – this is a scenario that might play out come the end of the season."
Angus Brayshaw and Dyson Heppell
“The Age reported during the week that Essendon had met with Angus Brayshaw who has a big free agency decision to make.
“It’s a curious one from an Essendon point of view given the emergence of Jye Caldwell and Ben Hobbs, plus the midfield depth they have in that part of the ground.
“That’s offset by the fact that they finally made an offer to Dyson Heppell, I wouldn’t shut the door on the fact that he might move, the contract offer from Essendon isn’t what you call supremely attractive so it would appear that it’d appear to be a stay on our terms kind of offer.
“There is some rival interest there about bringing him across to another club at least one or two clubs in a leadership mentor sort of role-playing as a half flanker."
Izak Rankine
“Essendon we know have asked the question of Izak Rankine and in fact have put a very lucrative contract offer to Rankine but we’re led to believe that he will well and truly star put at the Gold Coast Suns."
Brodie Grundy
“I think he stays, to be honest.
“If Collingwood have it in their mind that they would canvas a trade for him his management know nothing about it and neither does the player whose been thrust into an awkward situation.
“It’s certainly not the case that Brodie Grundy wants to move like he had entertained so strongly before signing the lucrative offer, he was well and truly happy to move to Adelaide and there were portions of Collingwood who were happy to facilitate that before the powers that be said that this guy has to stay.
“He’s got five years to run at $1 millon a season, can you possibly see a scenario where they pay another player to play against them like they have done with Adam Treloar – it’s a pretty big bridge to cross even if it could save them $700,000 in their cap when we speak about other players they might bring in like Tim Taranto, Dan McStay and the like."