“Right in the hitting zone”: Why Hannebery backs Collingwood’s aggressive Houston pursuit

Dan Hannebery has backed Collingwood’s push to sign two-time All-Australian Dan Houston from Port Adelaide.

The Magpies have emerged as the clear frontrunner for the defender who has requested a trade home to Victoria, with Carlton reportedly prioritising their first-round pick in this year’s draft over established talent.

While Houston may be the best player who has requested a move this trade period, Kane Cornes is one who thinks that the Magpies could be making a mistake with bringing the 27-year-old in over going to the draft given their ageing list.

To get the deal done, the Magpies are targeting pick 13 as part of their trade talks with Gold Coast over John Noble, and look set to part with their future first-round selection in the 2025 Draft to get that selection off the Suns’ hands.

While it’d make it two consecutive years where the Pies won’t have a first-round pick entering the draft, they’ll have access to Western Jets product Thomas McGuane as a father-son prospect, who many are projecting to be an early pick in next year’s draft.

With all of that considered, Hannebery thinks it’s the right move to sacrifice picks to bring Houston in given they’re ‘in the hitting zone’ just 13 months after winning the 2023 premiership and he discussed the potential move with Tom Morris on AFL Trade Radio.

Morris: “Do you think Collingwood is doing the right thing giving up a fair bit to bring Dan Houston in over the at the draft?

“Do you think that is sacrificing their list build? Remember Carlton is refusing the sacrifice their list build to bring him in. It’s two very different approaches.

“Carlton see a two-time All-Australian as a half back and they want him, but they want to keep this year's draft pick in the first round.

“Collingwood don't have a first-round draft pick and they're thinking to themselves ‘We're in the window’, even though they’ve got lots of 30-pluses.

“How important do you think Dan Houston is to success?”

Hannebery: “I think he's incredibly important. 

“Those half-back flankers (are great), he's an All-Australian, we know he has incredible penetration with his ball use. 

“He can turn turnovers into really damaging plays, he attacks from half back and through the middle of the ground, so he's exactly I think what Collingwood needs in a sense.

“He will really help bolster their defensive six and also give them some more bite at half back. 

“It allows Daicos - not that he was ever going to leave the midfield - but I think the talk of Nick Daicos to go back gets squashed now and he stays pure midfield.

“Houston gives him that run and carry and really good ball use. 

“They're right in the hitting zone. I like Collingwood being aggressive in getting him in because, in the next couple of years, they need to really utilise this patch that they are in.”