Collingwood recruit Billy Frampton says the Magpies traded for him to play as a key defender.
The 25-year-old was acquired from Adelaide on Tuesday after the Magpies sent a future third-round pick to West Lakes as a player who has been deployed in a variety of key positions across his 24 games with the Power and Crows.
While he has experience as both a forward and ruck, Frampton says Collingwood began recruiting him early in 2022 as a key defender, a position he played six times at AFL level and regularly in the SANFL for the Crows last campaign.
“I was talking to them pretty early in the year,” Frampton revealed on AFL Trade Radio.
“They sort of want me to play a key back role.
“They think my strengths are to help the team with the way I intercept (mark), being able to roll off and using my kicking to create offence.
“It was pretty intriguing for me and yeah, I’m really happy to be here.”
With Jordan Roughead retiring mid-last season, the Magpies highlighted the need to recruit a key defender and Frampton believes there’s a role for him to play alongside the likes of Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe and Nathan Murphy.
“Ideally that (key back role) is what I’d be after,” Frampton said.
“To play a key back role, help Darcy, Howe and all of those boys sort of roll off a little bit.
“That’s what I want to be doing, I think there’s a spot for me and hopefully I can take it.”
Frampton averaged 18 disposals, 6.5 marks and 6.3 rebound 50s from his six AFL games last season.