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Western Bulldogs interest in James Rowe, Izak Rankine to Adelaide Crows, latest

Western Bulldogs interest in James Rowe, Izak Rankine to Adelaide Crows, latest

The Western Bulldogs are set to be active in this year’s trade period, with another player linked with a Footscray move.

Plus Suns coach Stuart Dew confirms star Izak Rankine has a big decision to make on his future.

Get the latest player movement news and updates in AFL Trade Whispers!

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DOGS TO ‘POUNCE’ ON FATHER-SON CROW

The Western Bulldogs are reportedly “red hot” on luring Adelaide’s James Rowe away from South Australia for 2023 and beyond.

Rowe, whose father Stephen played for the Crows in the 90s, is out of contract at the end of the year after being snapped up with pick 38 in the 2020 AFL draft.

But the lack of new deal has some speculating Rowe won’t be at the club next season.

“James Rowe is probably not going to get a contract at the Crows, that’s the word,” SEN SA’s Andrew Hayes said.

“The word right now is he’s probably not going to get renewed. This is a bloke who has played 16 games this year and averaging 13 disposals which is marked as above average for a small forward.

What’s happened to King’s kicking? | 01:29

“He kicked two goals on the weekend (against North Melbourne) and was a late addition for Wayne Milera.”

It’s reported the Dogs were initially interested in Rowe back at the 2020 Draft, but due to Adelaide’s bid on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, they had to cough up enough points to match it.

“The Bulldogs are red hot into him. They were into him a couple of years ago, they were going to draft him, hence why the Crows had to nominate Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to get rid of a lot of their (the Bulldogs’) points,” Hayes said.

“They couldn’t accumulate enough points from draft picks to get to James Rowe so he could be on their list.

“Now it looks like the Bulldogs are set to pounce on James Rowe.”

Fellow SEN host Kane Cornes said Rowe “might get a better offer” from an interstate club that what he could expect from the Crows.

“I still think the Crows will offer him a contract, but whether it will be a bargain basement type set up or whether another club sees a different and a larger role for him to play,” he said.

“He might have a decision to make. It might be good for him to go to another club.

“He’ll be playing AFL football next year, I think it will still be at Adelaide but I wouldn’t be surprised if another club makes him feel a bit more loved than Adelaide has made him feel.”

Rowe played 19 games in his debut season and had featured 15 times this year – plus he was an unused medi sub for the clash with Collingwood in Round 18.

The Dogs have been strongly linked to Fremantle big man Rory Lobb this trade period, while there’s also reports of interest in Dockers swing man Griffin Logue.

How Longmire & Swans ‘disarmed’ Feet | 04:27

SUNS COACH ADMITS STAR HAS ‘BIG INCENTIVE’ TO DEPARTMENT

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew has confirmed star Izak Rankine has received a big offer to join a rival club, with the 22-year-old out of contract at the end of the year.

Adelaide are reportedly offering the forward a five-year deal worth as much as $800,000 per season to return to his home state.

Speaking at his post match press conference on Saturday, Dew all but admitted the Suns weren’t able to match what was being offered to Rankine elsewhere.

“We certainly feel like we’ve got a great support system around him,” he said.

“We feel like we’ve put a lot of development into him and he’s starting to show where he can get to.

“When guys get to the end of their contracts, they’ve got decisions to make.

“And he’s certainly been given a big incentive to look elsewhere.”

It’s believed the Suns are offering Rankine around $650,000 per year.

Rankine has played 48 games for the Suns since being taken with pick three in the 2018 Draft.

He was taken the same year the Gold Coast snapped up Jack Lukosius (pick two) and injured forward Ben King (pick six).

“Heartbreak” awaits whoever finishes 6th | 02:27

Also taken in that draft year after Rankine were Connor Rozee (five), Bailey Smith (seven), Nick Blakey (10) and Zak Butters (12).

Just last week the Suns leadership group went public with their pleas for Rankine to remain at the club.

Co-captain Touk Miller made it clear that convincing the “special” small forward to stay was a top priority, having already re-signed Ben King, Jack Lukosius, Ben Ainsworth, Elijah Hollands and Mac Andrew this year.

“I know there’s a lot of speculation around him and his future, but for us we really want him to be at this club. He’s a special person, a special player,” Miller said.

“We’ve gone to him and had a few chats about how much he means to us and means to the club, so whether that plays a part in the decision, hopefully it does.”

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AFL 2022: Jason Horne-Francis axed, reason revealed, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, contract

AFL 2022: Jason Horne-Francis axed, reason revealed, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, contract

The reason behind Jason Horne-Francis’ shock axing has been revealed with the young star failing to meet standards at the club.

North Melbourne’s decision to drop the number one draft pick ahead of his first AFL game back in South Australia, his home state, left fans around the league scratching their heads.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

On Friday night however the reasons behind the decision to ax him where detailed by Channel 7 journalist Mitch Cleary.

Cleary said the 18-year-old was left out of North Melbourne’s squad for “disobeying his coach” last weekend.

“The star teenager was called out by interim coach Leigh Adams and senior players on Sunday for failing to complete his proper ice baths and recovery in front of their very eyes,” Cleary reported.

“I have spent this morning with a dozen teammates training in Melbourne (instead of traveling with the squad).”

Horne-Francis will now run out in the VFL after failing to live up to the club’s “Monday to Friday” expectations.

Former North Melbourne great Brent Harvey opened up on the Horne-Francis axing.

“There’s some stuff that we call Monday to Friday, it’s preparation stuff – you need to tick the boxes,” Harvey said on RSN Radio.

“This is not just about Jason … (Caretaker coach) Leigh Adams has got very good standards, I’ve got to be a little bit careful … but we’ve got players not playing in our team and I’ll name one right now : Kayne Turner.

“He would run through brick walls for every single one of his teammates and every single one of his supporters – he does everything right.

“If he’s not playing, he’s playing in the reserves at the minute, you’d want to be doing everything right to make sure you’re holding up your end of the bargain. We call that Monday to Friday and if you haven’t got your Monday to Friday in order, that’s just not good enough right now.

“Was it good enough in Round 3, Round 4, Round 5? Maybe.

“But with Leigh Adams in charge, the standards have gone to another level and players have to play their part. Monday to Friday is just as important as performing on game day for us.

“There’s not just one incident where we’ve just said (to Horne-Francis): ‘Nah, you’re not playing because of this’. It’s not that at all, everything comes into calculations, the form side of it, what he’s doing after stoppage. There’s so much that comes into it.”

Horne-Francis immediately postponed contract extension negotiations after he was drafted by the club last year.

His two-year draft deal expires at the end of the 2023 season and both Adelaide and Port Adelaide are said to be heavily circling the teenage star.

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Brodie Grundy to Hawthorn Hawks, future at Collingwood Magpies, latest, Luke Jackson to Fremantle Dockers, Sean Darcy, Melbourne Demons

Brodie Grundy to Hawthorn Hawks, future at Collingwood Magpies, latest, Luke Jackson to Fremantle Dockers, Sean Darcy, Melbourne Demons

Hawthorn has responded to his potential pursuit of Brodie Grundy.

Plus a gun Docker has revealed he reached out to Luke Jackson amid intense speculation around the Demon’s future.

Get the latest player movement news and updates in AFL Trade Whispers!

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HAWKS ANSWER GRUNDY QUESTION

Hawthorn has remained tight lipped on his potential pursuit of star Brodie Grundy amid uncertain around the star ruckman’s future at the Magpies.

The Hawks have been touted as a potential landing spot for Grundy following skipper Ben McEvoy’s retirement announcement this week.

Collingwood is reportedly shopping the 28-year old to rivals and willing to chip in $300,000 of his annual salary worth around $1 million until 2025 at another club, with the Demons and Giants reportedly already meeting with the big man.

Feet rebound from cap scandal | 02:10

Asked about the potential for Hawthorn to recruit Grundy, club CEO Justin Reeves told SEN: “That’s one for Mark McKenzie (list manager). I know that’s a cop out but the reality is there are so many variables in that.

“He’s probably got plenty of footy left in him, I don’t know the figures of his contract but what we should say is you look at every opportunity that you think would make your football club better.”

Grundy, who hasn’t played an AFL game since Anzac Day due to a PCL setback, had been nearing a return to the senior level before suffering a stress fracture in his ankle in a VFL match, ruling him out for the rest of the regular season.

The ruckman signed his current lucrative deal, estimated to be worth $7 million in total, at the end of 2019.

DARCY CHECKS IN ON JACKSON

Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy has revealed he reached out to Luke Jackson to check in on the Demons star amid intense speculation around his future.

Jackson, who’s out of contract at the end of the season and weighing up his future, has been heavily linked with a move to the Dockers on a lucrative, long-term deal that would see him return to his home state.

Speaking on Triple M, Darcy said he at large contacted Jackson to see how he was traveling mentally with all the external noise.

“I’ve spoken to him about how he’s going. It’s a pretty tough decision for him,” Darcy told Triple M.

“Flattest” feeling after Pies loss | 02:25

“I just checked on him mentally, with everything going around. It’s pretty tough on him. His name of him ‘s in the newspaper every day.

“I had a little bit last year when (reports said) I was desperate to leave. But that never came from me, that was more media making it up.”

As Jackson doesn’t yet qualify or free agency, he’d need to move clubs via trade.

The former Pick 3 has played 48 AFL games for Melbourne including in its drought-breaking premiership win last year.

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Izak Rankine Adelaide Crows contract offer, Touk Miller and Tony Cochrane urge him to stay at Gold Coast Suns

Izak Rankine Adelaide Crows contract offer, Touk Miller and Tony Cochrane urge him to stay at Gold Coast Suns

Gold Coast’s leadership group has made an impassioned plea for out-of-contract young star Izak Rankine to reject Adelaide’s advances and remain a Sun.

News Corp revealed last week that the Crows were making a major play for Rankine, offering him a five-year deal worth as much as $800,000 per season to return to his home state.

Gold Coast is highly unlikely to match that financial offer and will instead rely on convincing him that his best chance of realizing his potential is at the Suns, while still being willing to pay him about $650,000 a year.

Adelaide is increasingly confident Rankine will request a trade to play for Matthew Nicks’ side, but that wouldn’t come until after Gold Coast’s season ends.

Suns chairman Tony Cochrane told News Corp on Monday they would do “all we can to retain him”.

“I think the club has proven over four years we’re doing everything possible to keep him there and obviously he’s a required player,” Cochrane said.

Izak Rankine is weighing up a five-year offer from the Crows. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“We’ve got a great association and relationship with Izak, as everyone has around the club. He’s bought a house up here, he’s very much settled in up here, so that’s just our position for the moment.

“He’s an incredibly popular person around the club. I know first-hand how much time and effort people like (coach) Stuart Dew have put into him and, importantly, I know how highly Stuart rates him.

“He’s got that message loud and clear at the Gold Coast footy club.”

Co-captain Touk Miller also made it clear that convincing the “special” small forward to stay was a top priority, having already re-signed Ben King, Jack Lukosius, Ben Ainsworth, Elijah Hollands and Mac Andrew this year.

“I know there’s a lot of speculation around him and his future, but for us we really want him to be at this club. He’s a special person, a special player,” Miller said.

“We’ve gone to him and had a few chats about how much he means to us and means to the club, so whether that plays a part in the decision, hopefully it does.

Stay or go? Izak Rankine has a big call to make on his playing future. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“As a leadership group; that’s part of what you have to do. This club wants success, and he can be a key part of that.”

Miller sympathized with Rankine’s situation as he weighs up a career- and life-changing decision, especially with the Suns looking to have turned the corner as a club.

“I know speculation like that can make it really hard around the club and can make things awkward and nervous, but we want him to feel as comfortable as possible, feel like he can still be himself and play his best footy,” he said.

“He’s human. I can say it’s not easy for him and you probably do have your head down a bit more. In saying that, we’ve still got a lot of good things out of him on game day.

“I’m not in his head, I can’t exactly say what he’s going to do, but we really want him to stay. He’s such a special part and key part to our club going forward. We’d love to have him.”

Miller was famously forthright with ex-Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch when he revealed in 2018 he was exercising his free agency rights to join Richmond after meeting with several Melbourne-based clubs.

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Miles Bergman to Victoria, teams interested, Geelong number one target, Jacob Hopper

Miles Bergman to Victoria, teams interested, Geelong number one target, Jacob Hopper

A former first-round pick is drawing interest from clubs in his home state of Victoria.

Plus Geelong’s “number one target” in the upcoming trade period revealed.

Get the latest AFL player movement news in Trade Whispers!

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

POWER FIRST-ROUND PICK COULD BE HEADING HOME

Miles Bergman is drawing interest from Victorian clubs and veteran SA journalist Michelangelo Rucci believes he will not be at Port Adelaide next year.

The 20-year-old has played seven games this season after featuring 23 times in his 2021 debut season, including playing in both finals.

A first-round pick in 2019, Bergman is contracted for another season but Rucci reported he is drawing interest from teams in his home state.

“We know there’s going to be an enormous trade market, but it’s not just going to be players falling out of contract,” Rucci said on SEN SA’s The Run Home.

“Miles Bergman is under contract until 2023, the end of next season. But he has – what I’ve been told – fair interest from a few Victorian clubs to lure him back to Melbourne.

“He was a first-round draft pick, number 14 for Port Adelaide in 2019, has a Rising Star nomination last year and had a difficult past 12 months with Covid.

“If he gets tempted to move, Port are going to have some interesting talks with clubs about what they want back.

“I don’t think (he will be at Port next year).”

Bergman was the Rising Star nominated in Round 21 last year after being selected with Pick 14 in the 2019 draft, in between Will Day (Hawthorn) and Cody Weightman (Western Bulldogs), and just before Mitch Georgiades (Port Adelaide) and Sam De Koning (Geelong).

Best three kicks at goal since Plugger | 00:58

CATS’ NUMBER ONE TARGET REVEALED

Geelong is prioritizing contracted GWS midfielder Jacob Hopper in the upcoming trade period, reports SEN’s Sam Edmund.

The Cats are one of a number of clubs showing interest in Hopper, who is among a group of Giants expected to depart the club this off-season.

His midfield mate Tim Taranto has been linked to clubs including Richmond and Collingwood, while the Tigers and Adelaide have interest in Hopper.

The Cats have also been linked to Geelong Falcons product and 2020 first-round pick Tanner Bruhn, but reported Edmund Hopper is their number one target.

“GWS, all bets are off here, they might be the most active in the trade window which we’ve spoken about as they look to balance the books,” he said on SEN’s Crunch Time.

“It’s not an exodus as such, I think it will be really targeted in terms of who they let go and they’ve got some levers to pull here given not all their players are in contract.

“Tanner Bruhn is definitely out, he wants to get back to Victoria only two years after being taken with Pick 12 in the 2020 draft.

“Bobby Hill has wanted a trade since this time last year, and Tim Taranto is out of contract and widely expected to seek a fresh start.

“And then there’s his midfield running mate Jacob Hopper, who’s got a year to run but Geelong have expressed a real interest in him, as well as Jordan De Goey.

“I think Hopper is their number one target there.

“Nick Haynes has been raised, contracted long term, Lachie Whitfield even just around the edges as well as someone who’s locked in for the long term as well.

“So there’s a bit to work out at GWS also with a new coach coming in.”

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