Adelaide free agent Tom Doedee is believed to be weighing up an offer from the Brisbane Lions.
That is according to Channel 7’s Mitch Cleary who believes the 26-year-old Crows defender is considering a shift from South Australia to Queensland.
Doedee, who is a restricted free agent this year, is still yet to sign a new deal with the Crows as he goes about recovering from an ACL injury sustained in June.
“The Crows are desperate to keep Tom Doedee,” Cleary said on 7’s Talking Finals program on Tuesday night.
“He has said he wants to stay at the Crows, but he’s now weighing up a big offer from Brisbane.
“He has spoken to the Lions in recent weeks. It is playing on his mind now what this free agent does.
“There is always a concern when you get to this stage of the season, the Crows have been out for a week now, his season has been finished for the best part of a couple of months after his knee injury, and still he’s unsigned.
“Watch this space on what happens with Tom Doedee.”
Doedee emerged as target for the Lions a few months ago before that talk went cold.
However, it seems as though things are firing up again, especially from a Lions point of view after they lost Marcus Adams to retirement.
.@cleary_mitch reports Tom Doedee is weighing up an offer from Brisbane 👀 pic.twitter.com/dwgEcmxA4z
— 7AFL (@7AFL) September 5, 2023
Another defender expected to be on the move this trade period is North Melbourne’s Ben McKay.
The 25-year-old, who is also a restricted free agent, is on the radar of Sydney, Essendon and Hawthorn with the Swans reportedly leading the race.
“Everyone at North Melbourne is bracing for him to request a trade,” Cleary said of McKay.
“A free agent, hasn’t made a call (yet).
“Rival clubs are often a good gauge when it comes to the market for rival players. Sydney is the strong word out of the opposition clubs that is leading the race for this man, ahead of Essendon and Hawthorn.
“Port Adelaide had shown a bit of interest but I think they’re further down the path with (Geelong defender) Esava Ratugolea and a player liker Brandon Zerk-Thatcher at the Bombers.”
Cleary is also forecasting that the Kangaroos will land Pick 3 in this year’s National Draft as compensation for McKay, which has been spoken about quite frequently of late.
It will give the club Picks 2 and 3 having finished second bottom in 2023.
“That is the likely scenario at this stage,” he added.
“Especially if it’s Sydney. The Swans’ offer will be upwards of $700,000 a season which would have them in that Band 1 compo.
“Picks 2 and 3 likely to end up at the Roos.”
The 2023 AFL trade period kicks off on October 9 after the restricted and unrestricted free agency period takes place on October 6.