Western Bulldogs midfielder Lachie Hunter is weighing up his options in the upcoming trade period, despite being contracted for a further two seasons.
The 27-year-old played 25 games in 2021, surrounded by two 10-game seasons, dealing with off-field issues and injuries.
The wingman is a new name in the trade space ahead of period opening on Monday, but Essendon great Matthew Lloyd isn’t sure there is a suitor for him.
“I don’t see how another club takes him,” Lloyd told AFL Trade Radio.
“I think with what Lachie has been through the last few years and the type of player that he is, he’s an accumulator.
“I look at Tom Mitchell, I know they’re different players, but Tom Mitchell is struggling to find a club.
“Tom Mitchell has been good over a long period of time. Sam Mitchell has probably moved past him and wants different players in the centre bounce mix. I think Hawthorn would like him to find a new club, but it’s difficult with his salary.
“Similarly, I’m not sure Lachie Hunter will find one. That’s my opinion.”
Kane Cornes believes Hunter-type accumulating midfielders are not as valuable as they were previously.
“The smaller, accumulating midfielder has lost the most currency in the game the last three to four years and there is a number of those,” Cornes added.
“If you want to be small like that, you want to have tricks and Lachie Neale has proven you can do it if you work really hard on your game and your penetration.”
“Look at Caleb Serong at Fremantle. A gut runner, gets from contest to contest, but if you’re going to be that smaller midfielder you need something else rather than just sitting out on the wing and doing what Lachie Hunter has done.
“I think there will be a club open to him, but like Jordan De Goey, there will probably be some behavioural clauses in that contract.”
READ SAM EDMUND'S TRADE REPORT ON HUNTER HERE