With Fremantle’s final charge now complete, coach Justin Longmuir expects answers from a number of players this week about where they want to play in 2023.
Also, Geelong are once again a big commercial player as they continue to ‘build’ their roster.
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DOCKERS COULD LOSE FIVE AS THE SEASON ENDS
Fremantle are already out of the finals race with just one week left with the players before they leave for the end of the season.
Coach Justin Longmuir said that, given the short change, he expects responses shortly from a number of players including Rory Lobb, Griffin Logue, Lloyd Meek, Blake Acres and potentially Liam Henry.
“There’s always movement, we’ll work on it,” Longmuir said in his post-match press conference.
“The deadline is coming very soon – we have the players for at most one more week and they are going on holiday. I imagine we will have some answers soon.
“Those talks will take place over the next week or so.”
Fox Footy’s Jon Ralph says Henry could join the impending exodus to the Dockers.
“We know five Fremantle Dockers will be asking for trades in the days after the season – I hope Liam Henry is someone who will at least consider his options,” he said.
“He’s been pushed down – just seven games this year.
“Watch this space on Liam Henry.”
Henry has managed just 27 games for the club since his debut in 2020.
He was snapped up at pick nine in the 2019 AFL Draft in rushed scenes as Carlton launched a surprise bid for the Dockers Academy product.
After taking Hayden Young with pick seven and Caleb Serong with pick eight, Freo had to live through the trade to stay in the rest of the draft after matching the Blues’ offer.
Logue and Lobb would be big losses for the Dockers in particular, with both playing key roles this season.
Lobb had tried to leave at the end of 2021 but was unsuccessful in a last-minute bid to land at GWS.
Meanwhile, Logue was left out of Fremantle’s best 22 earlier in the season before an injury to defender Alex Pearce opened the door.
His form was excellent as a backman, keeping Joel Hamling in the WAFL, before being moved forward to cover the loss of the injured Matt Taberner.
Logue finished 2022 with a season-high 19 games, but managed just six goals for the season, despite playing late as a striker.
CATS WANT TO ‘REPORT’ AND GO
Geelong may have lost giant Jacob Hopper, who declared Richmond his preferred club this trade period.
But it’s not all doom and gloom for cats.
They are expected to make a move for Brodie Grundy, given Collingwood’s trade advance, but there are two other players that have caught their eye.
“The Cats will be busy at trade time: Jacob Hopper picking Richmond will allow them to go even harder on two locals: Collingwood’s Ollie Henry and Giant Tanner Bruhn,” 7NEWS’ Mitch Cleary reported.
“Both are still out of contract.
“Cats try to lure them home.”
Geelong already has Henry’s brother Jack locked up until the end of 2024 and could be preparing to reunite the brothers.
SEN’s Sam Edmund said he expected the Cats to try to rejuvenate their list for 2023.
“It will be very interested what Geelong do from here – if players like (Shaun) Higgins move on, (Luke) Dahlhaus will move on,” he said.
“I wonder if Geelong are tempted (by Henry).”
While a Grundy exit is not yet sealed, Edmund believed he had to go to make way for the Magpies’ expected trades.
“Billy Frampton is going to Collingwood, we keep hearing (Giant) Bobby Hill, (Hawk) Tom Mitchell also wants to come to Collingwood. If that all works out, Brodie Grundy should move to make that work,” he said.
THREE CLUBS RACE FOR DUNKLEY?
Josh Dunkley infamously missed out on a trade deal at the end of 2020 when his hopes of landing at Essendon were dashed.
Now out of contract, the Dogs’ first-rounder faces a difficult decision.
SEN’s Sam Edmund says it’s a “torturous” wait where Dunkley wants to play in 2023.
“We’re still waiting, it’s torture. We know the offer from Port Adelaide is very, very good,” he said.
“We know Brisbane have an indicative offer in front of him as well and we know the Western Bulldogs have been in negotiations with him for a couple of months and they desperately want him to stay.
“Is there something to look at the fact that Brisbane are playing in this finals series and we still don’t know Josh Dunkley’s future?
Josh Dunkley may have played his last game for the Bulldogs. Image: Darrian TraynorSource: Getty Images
“Would it surprise me if Josh Dunkley named Brisbane? I don’t think he’s sincere. He’s got a link there.
“It’s a clock at this point.”
Kane Cornes believes Port Adelaide is “confident” Dunkley wants to move to the Power, given the link to his South Australian-based girlfriend, Adelaide Thunderbirds netminder Tippah Dwan.