Channel Seven’s Mitch Cleary believes GWS could be open to trading Lachie Whitfield.
Whitfield, 28, still has five years left on a bumper seven-year deal with the Giants and shedding his sizeable contract could help the club refresh.
While the outside player hasn’t been officially linked to any move, Cleary believes the length of contract and amount owing to Whitfield could convince the Giants to trade him if a suitor emerges.
“I think deep down the Giants would be open to trading Lachie Whitfield,” Cleary said on SEN Mornings.
“As you say, it’s just a matter of finding a suitor, but things can emerge late in trade periods, clubs get desperate.”
After missing out on free agent Jordan De Goey, Cleary believes a club like St Kilda could emerge as a suitor for Whitfield, particularly as they’ve announced their ambitions to add more top-end talent to their list.
“Look at St Kilda, they started and walked in day one of the trade period on Monday and said, ‘We’re here for more A-grade talent, we’ve got good players, but we need better players’,” Cleary said.
“But right now, all they’ve brought in is Zaine Cordy and they missed on Jordan De Goey.”
Considering St Kilda has the money available that they would’ve spent on De Goey, Cleary feels they have the cap space to take Whitfield’s contract on.
“They obviously had $850,000 – 900,000 sitting in their salary cap for Jordan De Goey and he hasn’t taken that, so would a club like St Kilda get involved for Lachie Whitfield?,” Cleary asked.
“He’s got links there, Gubby (Graeme) Allen spent time with Lachie Whitfield at the Giants, we know what those two have been through together.
“So, I wouldn’t be surprised if a club came late for Lachie Whitfield, I don’t think it’s happened yet.
“But I think the Giants would be open to those conversations if it was to emerge.”
AFL Media’s Cal Twomey believes Whitfield or defender Nick Haynes could be put on the trade table if Richmond aren’t able to land a trade for midfielder Jacob Hopper.