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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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NEW FIRST CRACK PODCAST — R22 wrap: Why Dons MUST chase Clarko, Swans for the flag?

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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 Ben Rutten sacked as Bombers coach; Essendon board meeting, Alastair Clarkson, Paul Brasher, video

AFL 2022 Ben Rutten sacked as Bombers coach; Essendon board meeting, Alastair Clarkson, Paul Brasher, video

Essendon coach Ben Rutten could be sacked as early as today as the club holds a second meeting in the space of 24 hours.

3AW’s Neil Mitchell reports there is a strong belief that Rutten will not coach the final round of the season with assistant Daniel Giansiracusa to take charge of the team.

It comes as Essendon president Paul Brasher is understood to have stood down in the wake of their humiliating loss to Port Adelaide on Sunday.

The 84-point loss at Marvel Stadium looks likely to also spell the end for Rutten as well who was under intense pressure to hold onto his job just a season after leading them back into the finals.

The Bomber board will then decide whether to make a play for Alastair Clarkson.

The Hawks coaching great is the most talked about coach in the competition — and he doesn’t yet have a home, after leaving the Hawks in 2021.

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Essendon Press Conference | 03:59

The Bombers have a 7-14 win-loss record in 2022 ahead of the final match of the regular season, where they will play Richmond on Saturday night.

Brasher indicated he would step down at year’s end earlier in the season, but their sorry defeat on Sunday has seemingly sped up at that process.

“I think you’re going to see real improvement in the second half of the year,” he said at the time.“

“We don’t want honorable losses. We’re happy about effort, but that is the baseline and we’re looking to improve upon that and not going to take to light about losing to good sides by narrow margins.”

Dud Bombers pumped by Port | 01:39

An earlier internal review is said to have fallen short of what some believe is required, with AFL.com.au reporting that there is a push for an external review wanted by some.

Rutten slammed his side’s “embarrassing effort” after fans booed players from Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

“Were bitterly disappointed,” he said.

“It was the sort of game that our members and supporters who came to the game or were watching on TV… it’s not the sort of thing they should have to watch.

“It was an embarrassing effort from our guys. It’s not something we want to stand for and not something our members and supporters should have to watch at any stage.”

READ MORE

‘Not going to tolerate it’: Bombers coach apologises to fans for ’embarrassing effort’ vs Power

TALKING PTS: Why Clarko ‘coup’ could open floodgates; star wasted by ‘arrogant’ club

Bombers coach Ben Rutten following their heavy loss at Marvel Stadium against the Port Adelaide Power on August 14, 2022 in Melbourne. Photo: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Brasher has been unwavering in his support behind Rutten, but with the president gone a push for Clarkson has been made.

Clarkson has received formal offers from Greater Western Sydney as well as North Melbourne, with the Kangaroos tabling a five-year deal for the respected coach.

The former Hawks coach was said to have wanted to make his decision early this week, but a late push from the Bombers could see Clarkson want more time to make his decision.

On Sunday, Kangaroos great David King hit out at the Bombers for failing to make a serious play at Clarkson.

“For six months, if not 12 months, Alastair Clarkson has been sitting idle ready to be grabbed by a football club,” King said on First Crack.

“Why haven’t Essendon taken that step?

“Right now they lack system, they lack motivation and they lack standards as a footy club and I reckon the Essendon faithful are sick of it.

“Why are they gambling on a coach that is still developing when the absolute finished product is there?

“OK you’ve got to jump through a lot of hoops to get over the line, but if (Clarkson) signs at North Melbourne this week and Essendon could have got him with the list they’ve got right now, I think it’s a mistake they will rule for years.”

Dons fans heard slamming players | 00:46

King slammed the Bombers for failing to turn up and said some of the players were not playing to “AFL standard”.

“This is Essendon in a nutshell,” King lamented.

“How lax is this? Have a look at them just standing around, ambling around. This is the forward 50. There’s 10 players within arms reach of this stoppage. That (game style) is going nowhere.

“I can’t understand what they look at when they review games at the moment if that is the output of a weekend.

“We can only judge the actions they put in front of us – that is not AFL standard.”

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AFL news 2022: Essendon president Paul Brasher reportedly quits, Ben Rutten under threat

AFL news 2022: Essendon president Paul Brasher reportedly quits, Ben Rutten under threat

Essendon Bombers president Paul Brasher has reportedly stepped down from his position after the club’s embarrassing 84-point loss to Port Adelaide on Sunday evening.

After playing in finals last year, the Bombers have endured a horror season, slumping to 15th on the AFL ladder with seven wins in the opening 21 rounds.

Earlier this year, Brasher announced an internal review of the club with opinions split on whether it should have been an external review.

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Brasher told members the club was “examining every aspect of our football program”, with football director Sean Wellman overseeing the review.

“I think you’re going to see real improvement in the second half of the year,” he said at the time.

“We don’t want honorable losses. We’re happy about effort, but that is the baseline and we’re looking to improve upon that and not going to take to light about losing to good sides by narrow margins.”

But on Monday morning, several reports emerged Brasher had resigned after the Essendon directors once again pushed for an independent review at a board meeting over the weekend.

According to Herald Suncoach Ben Rutten, who is contracted for next year, is also under serious threat of losing his position, with the Essendon board preparing for a major upheaval.

Channel 7 journalist Tom Browne suggested Brasher’s resignation could prompt a last-minute play for legendary coach Alastair Clarkson, who led the Hawthorn Hawks to four premiership titles.

Essendon will reportedly hold another board meeting on Monday to determine the presidency.

Essendon recorded several unwanted milestones on Sunday, including Rutten’s biggest-ever defeat as coach, his most points granted as coach and Essendon’s second-biggest loss against the Power.

On Fox Footy’s coverage, a spectator was overheard screaming after the final siren: “This is f***ing embarrassing.”

Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Rutten slammed his side’s “embarrassing effort” after fans booed players from Marvel Stadium.

“Were bitterly disappointed,” he said.

“It was the sort of game that our members and supporters who came to the game or were watching on TV… it’s not the sort of thing they should have to watch.

“It was an embarrassing effort from our guys. It’s not something we want to stand for and not something our members and supporters should have to watch at any stage.”

More to eat …

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St Kilda Saints urged to put stars on trade table, Leigh Montagna, list management, Brad Hill, Zak Jones, Jack Billings, Jade Gresham

St Kilda Saints urged to put stars on trade table, Leigh Montagna, list management, Brad Hill, Zak Jones, Jack Billings, Jade Gresham

St Kilda great Leigh Montagna has implored the club to trade out some of its star senior players to bring more youth into the club in a “reset”, saying he thinks it “needs to go back to go forward.”

The Saints had their final hopes dashed after losing to Brisbane, falling to 11-10 to continue St Kilda’s drop off after a promising 5-1 start to the season.

Since Round 7 St Kilda has ranked bottom six in the ‘Core Four’ stats — with the footy (15th), without the footy, clearance and post-clearance contest (all 12th).

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“They’re in a real predicament … this is 15 rounds of football, it’s a bottom-four profile, so they have really struggled with their game,” Montagna said on Fox Footy’s First Crack.

Asked if their issues lie with personnel or system, Montagna said: “I think it’s a combination of both.”

The Saints’ finals hopes are over (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

It comes after St Kilda has aggressively recruited players via trade and free agency over the last four years, bringing Paddy Ryder (35 years old), Dan Hannebery (32), Tom Campbell (31), Brad Hill, Dean Kent, Mason Wood, Brad Crouch (all 29), Jarrod Lienert, Zak Jones (both 28), Dougal Howard (27), Dan Butler, Jack Hayes (both 26) and Jack Higgins (24) into the fold.

Looking at the age profile of those players combined with the rest of the senior core, Montgana questioned how much upside the Saints’ list has.

“This is the concern for St Kilda supporters when you think about where the improvement is going to come from in the years to come,” he said.

“How much room for improvement have they got these guys? How high is their ceiling? And that’s in conjunction with their core group of Seb Ross, Tim Membrey, Jimmy Webster, Jack Sinclair, Jack Billings, Rowan Marshall and Jack Steele, who are all 26 plus years old as well.

“There’s not a lot of ceiling room within the core group of players on top of that profile… the upside is a very small margin.”

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

Montagna did praise young guns Max King, Cooper Sharman (both 22), Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (20), Marcus Windhager and Mitch Owens (both 19), who’ve joined the club over the same four-year period, but said he had “question marks” on their other youngsters.

He believes St Kilda should follow Port Adelaide’s blueprint from post 2018 and trade out their players with currency to try and bounce back quickly.

“I think they need to go back to go forward,” Montagna said.

“I think they need to trade out some of those players they’ve brought in and bring in some more young talent and reset — Brad Hill, Zak Jones and maybe Jack Billings or Jade Gresham to try and get some other young talent in.

“I look at Port Adelaide — they went through a period for five years where they were mid-table — then traded Chad Wingard, Jasper Pittard and Jared Polec when they were playing good footy — Jack Hombsch, Paddy Ryder and Dougal Howard.

“They made some change and got in those young players — Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma, Connor Rozee and Mitch Georgiades — then all of a sudden played in back-t0-back preliminary finals (in 2020 and 2021).

“I think there’s some concerns there for St Kilda, they need to have a real hard think about where their list is at moving forward.”

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Zaine Cordy bump on Tanner Bruhn, video, what happened, Tribunal, Match Review, Western Bulldogs vs GWS

Zaine Cordy bump on Tanner Bruhn, video, what happened, Tribunal, Match Review, Western Bulldogs vs GWS

The bump faces a serious test case on Tuesday night with the Western Bulldogs’ Zaine Cordy referred directly to the Tribunal for a hit that saw GWS’ Tanner Bruhn concussed.

Cordy made shoulder to shoulder contact with Bruhn during the Bulldogs’ Round 22 win, sending the young Giant to the ground where his head hit the Marvel Stadium turf.

Bruhn suffered a concussion but the incident took place within the legal five meters of the ball, as Cordy was shepherding for teammate Ed Richards.

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The confusing elements of the case have seen it sent straight to the Tribunal without actually being graded by Match Review Officer Michael Christian.

“The incident involving the Western Bulldogs’ Zaine Cordy and the GWS Giants’ Tanner Bruhn during the fourth quarter of the Round 22 match between the Western Bulldogs and the GWS Giants, played at Marvel Stadium on Saturday 13 August, 2022, was assessed,” the AFL said in a statement.

“The notice of charge has been referred directly to the Court for determination.

“The incident is ungraded.

“Cordy is not able to accept an early plea.”

The most recent incident referred to the Tribunal ungraded before this was Eric Hipwood’s umpire contact involving Ryan Gardner and Jacob Mollison in Round 16. He eventually avoided suspension, but was found guilty and fined $2500.

Zaine Cordy has been referred directly to the Tribunal for this bump on Tanner Bruhn.Source: FOX SPORTS

“Zaine Cordy runs past the ball, he hits Tanner Bruhn within the legal five-meter limit. He didn’t hit him in the head, it was shoulder to shoulder,” Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph explained on Fox Footy’s coverage on Sunday.

“But Bruhn is concussed – potentially when his head hits the ground after that shepherd. This is such a tough case for Michael Christian to adjudicate.”

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Jed Anderson concussion, update, video, North Melbourne Kangaroos, head knock, doctor, AFL investigation

Jed Anderson concussion, update, video, North Melbourne Kangaroos, head knock, doctor, AFL investigation

The AFL may investigate circumstances surrounding Jed Anderson’s concussion amid questions of why the North Melbourne star was allowed to return to the field on Saturday.

Anderson stumbled after copping a knee to the face in a marking contest in the third quarter but was then cleared to return to the field before being later ruled out by medical staff.

Speaking to reporters post-game, North Melbourne coach Leigh Adams admitted he had not seen the vision yet but backed club doctors.

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Jed Anderson of the Kangaroos goes off. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“I haven’t seen the vision yet, but I’m comfortable that our doctors would have made the right decision whatever that was,” Adams said.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure, I know he came off with the blood rule, and then I was told at three-quarter time that he had gone into the concussion protocols.

“I’m not sure how long he was in those protocols once the three-quarter time siren went but he was ruled out pretty quickly after that.”

Anderson will miss North’s last game of the season against Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium.

speaking on Fox Footy later in the night, Nick Riewoldt and Jonathan Brown both said Anderson should not have been allowed back on the field but could understand why there may have been confusion on the bench.

“You notice there the doctor turned around and was distracted talking to one of the other trainers when he stumbled,” Riewoldt said.

“I reckon had the doctor seen that live, he would have gone: ‘I’m not sure this bloke is right’ but he missed that.”

“It can be chaos on the bench, so I clearly think it has been missed,” Brown added.

“They’ve gone back, reviewed the vision and incident and once they were actually able to do their due diligence properly, they’ve subbed him off. You wouldn’t expect they’d be in too much trouble.”

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Fans erupt over Chris Rock sighting, Sydney Swans vs Collingwood score, Brian Taylor commentary

Fans erupt over Chris Rock sighting, Sydney Swans vs Collingwood score, Brian Taylor commentary

Chris Rock is a Sydney Swans fan, who knew?

The Hollywood star was spotted in the crowd at the SCG on Sunday afternoon for the Round 22 contest between Sydney and Collingwood.

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Rock was wearing a red Swans cap and was enjoying the action on his visit to Sydney.

The Swans posted a photo of the actor and comedian holding a jersey signed by the whole Sydney team.

Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor couldn’t help himself, making a not-so-subtle reference to when Rock was famously slapped by Will Smith at the Academy Awards earlier this year.

“Famous face here Chris Rock, of course of Grow Ups fame and he just accepts a slap really well these days doesn’t he, Chris Rock,” Taylor said tongue-in-cheek.

Alister Nicholson valiantly tried to get the commentary back on track, adding: “I reckon in terms of A-listers he’s just behind Buddy Franklin in terms of No. 1 at the SCG today BT.”

AFL fans couldn’t believe Taylor had made ice cold remark on live TV.

The Swans controlled the first half and took a 37-22 lead into the main break.

The Magpies are still in touching distance and the match appears set to go down to the wire in typical Collingwood fashion.

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AFL 2022: Fans erupt over Chris Rock sighting, Sydney Swans vs Collingwood score, Brian Taylor commentary

AFL 2022: Fans erupt over Chris Rock sighting, Sydney Swans vs Collingwood score, Brian Taylor commentary

Chris Rock is a Sydney Swans fan, who knew?

The Hollywood star was spotted in the crowd at the SCG on Sunday afternoon for the Round 22 contest between Sydney and Collingwood.

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

Rock was wearing a red Swans cap and was enjoying the action on his visit to Sydney.

The Swans posted a photo of the actor and comedian holding a jersey signed by the whole Sydney team.

Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor couldn’t help himself, making a not-so-subtle reference to when Rock was famously slapped by Will Smith at the Academy Awards earlier this year.

“Famous face here Chris Rock, of course of Grow Ups fame and he just accepts a slap really well these days doesn’t he, Chris Rock,” Taylor said tongue-in-cheek.

Alister Nicholson valiantly tried to get the commentary back on track, adding: “I reckon in terms of A-listers he’s just behind Buddy Franklin in terms of No. 1 at the SCG today BT.”

AFL fans couldn’t believe Taylor had made ice cold remark on live TV.

The Swans controlled the first half and led 5.7 (37) to 3.5 (22) at the main break.

The Magpies are still in touching distance and the match appears set to go down to the wire in typical Collingwood fashion.

Read related topics:sydney

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Michael Voss press conference after Carlton Blues loss to Melbourne Demons, fixture, finals chances

Michael Voss press conference after Carlton Blues loss to Melbourne Demons, fixture, finals chances

Carlton will quickly regroup in preparation for a mouth-watering “final elimination” against arch rival Collingwood next week, coach Michael Voss says.

Voss was trying to take positives out of Saturday night’s heartbreaking loss to the Demons, who stole a five-point victory from the jaws of defeat thanks to a classy Kysaiah Pickett goal with 11 seconds left in the game.

Shattered Blues players slumped to the ground on the final siren as Melbourne denied Carlton the opportunity to cement a finals berth for the first time since the 2013 season.

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Asked where it went wrong, Voss told reporters: “A bit of detail in the last couple of minutes didn’t quite get right, so I guess it’s easy to focus on that two minutes.”

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd, who was at the MCG on Saturday night, witnessed a frustrated Voss walk towards the Blues’ rooms after the final siren, before he u-turned, consoled his players and walked from the field with them.

“This is as bad as a home and away loss gets … I’ve lost a prelim by a point but this is as close to what you get with a home and away loss,” Lloyd told Channel 9’s The Sunday Footy Show.

Patrick Cripps of the Blues and Michael Voss leave after the loss. Picture: Mark StewartSource: News Corp Australia

“Vossy, he stands on the bench with the players and coaches from down there – he just started charging off on his own, disconsolate, hands in his pockets. He was going to head straight down to the rooms.

“Just as he got close, I reckon it triggered and he thought: ‘I can’t just go off and leave my players there.’ He turned back around, walked 60m back, he tapped every player on the bum, he and ‘Crippa’ (Patrick Cripps) walked down arm-in-arm.

“So I reckon he thought to himself: ‘I’ve got to be here with my players and we’ve got one week to try and salvage and turn this around.’”

With the ninth-placed Western Bulldogs, who are a win behind Carlton, set to start as favorites in their own do-or-die clash against Hawthorn next Sunday, the Blues simply must beat old foe Collingwood to cement a finals berth.

Carlton, vying to feature in September for the first time since 2013, will take on the miracle-working Magpies in a sequel to the thrilling Round 11 affair in which the Pies won by four points.

“It’s really exciting for us,” Voss said.

Patrick Cripps of the Blues and Michael Voss. Picture: Mark StewartSource: News Corp Australia

“I’ve spoken about the opportunity that’s there and it’s about exposure for us playing in these sorts of games. It can only be a good thing for us and how we grow and develop out of this as a footy team.”

Voss said his troops would relish the opportunity to take on the in-form Collingwood in front of an MCG crowd likely to exceed 80,000.

“It’s effectively an elimination final,” Voss said. “We know what the week holds.

“We’ll get back to work and turn up here next Sunday, in what will be a really big game. I’m sure it’ll be really built up.

“The energy that we brought today was just real excitement to be able to play these sorts of games. I hope we bring that same energy.”

Demons rob Blues on the Buzzer! | 03:03

The Blues are likely to regain Adam Cerra, who was a late withdrawal because of groin tightness but Voss conceded his side wouldn’t have the luxury of bringing fellow midfielders George Hewett and Matthew Kennedy back into the line-up despite the high-stakes nature of the clash.

“(Close) just couldn’t quite get going this morning,” Voss said.

“George (Hewett) is starting to get going a bit, but I think the prognosis for him is that if he does actually start to train it might be more towards the finals.”

— with NCA Newswire

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Brodie Grundy Melbourne Demons meeting, Port Adelaide salary cap, Tim Taranto Richmond

Brodie Grundy Melbourne Demons meeting, Port Adelaide salary cap, Tim Taranto Richmond

Brodie Grundy reportedly walked away from a recent meeting with Melbourne very impressed.

Plus why the Power are well placed for the next few years and the two-club race for a Giants star.

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

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PIES STAR ‘BLOWN AWAY’ BY DEES IN MEETING

Brodie Grundy was reportedly “blown away” by Melbourne when the Collingwood star met with key Dees figures in recent weeks.

The Demons, as well as Geelong, last week emerged as “potential new suitors” for Grundy, who’s now central to ample trade speculation as the Pies consider offloading the 28-year-old’s lucrative contract — worth around $1 million per season until 2027 — to clear cap space for the likes of rival players Dan McStay, Bobby Hill and Tim Taranto.

Giants football boss Jason McCartney was seen meeting Grundy’s manager last month, while Port Adelaide has also been linked to the dual All-Australian.

While the Giants are now considered out of the race, the Dees have emerged as the front-runners for Grundy, who reportedly met with Melbourne figures, including coach Simon Goodwin, footy boss Alan Richardson and skipper Max Gawn, in recent weeks.

Lewis 50/50 on Gawn & Grundy tandem | 01:24

And SEN reporter Sam Edmund said Grundy liked what he saw from the Dees.

“He was so impressed by the vision Melbourne set, their professionalism and what they sold to him,” Edmund told SEN’s Crunch Time.

“It doesn’t mean that Melbourne are going for Brodie Grundy as a priority, I’m told they might want to go younger, they might want to go cheaper, but they have met with him and been very impressive getting in front of Brodie Grundy.”

Edmund pointed out the Dees also impressed Adam Cerra in a presentation, only for the midfielder to choose Carlton as Melbourne “didn’t have the levers to pull to get him in the door”.

While Goodwin last week didn’t confirm the club had met with Grundy, he said the Dees were keen to play two rucks next season amid Luke Jackson’s strong links to Fremantle.

Grundy, who hasn’t played an AFL game since Anzac Day due to a knee issue, had been nearing a return to the AFL before suffering a stress fracture in his ankle in a VFL match, ruling him out for the rest of the home and away season.

POWER PRIMED TO LAUNCH IN OFF-SEASON

Port Adelaide is well prepared to pounce on a star rival player at some stage over the next two years thanks to clever list decisions, reports the Herald Sun.

While the Power will miss finals this year after two straight preliminary final appearances in the previous two seasons, they’re in a good position to launch into the market either this year or next year.

the Herald Sun reported the Power have the capacity to be “bold and adventurous”, thanks to shrewd list management calls that have seen them generate more salary cap space than most other rival clubs.

Koch keeps Hinkley for 2023! | 02:49

According to the newspaper’s ‘AFL Rich 100’, which ranks the top 100 highest-paid players in the competition in 2022, only one Power player sits inside the top 50 – Brownlow Medalist Ollie Wines at $750,000 to $850,000 – with Scott Lycett (No. 75) and Charlie Dixon (No. 100) next in line.

It means they could make a big play for Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley or contracted Magpie Brodie Grundy, should either of them wish to move to South Australia.

The Power are preparing to lose wingman Karl Amon, who’s set to exercise his free agency rights and join a rival Victorian club.

TIGERS ‘RIGHT IN THE MIX’ FOR GIANTS STAR

Collingwood could have a fight on its hands to land Tim Taranto, with Richmond “coming hard” for the off-contract Giant.

The Giants, again, are set to be active during the upcoming AFL exchange period, with several players, including Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Tanner Bruhn and Bobby Hill linked to rival clubs.

Taranto has been linked to four Victorian-based clubs, but the Tigers and Magpies appear best placed to fight for his services.

Despite the strong links to Collingwood, SEN reporter Sam Edmund said the Tigers were “right in the mix” for Taranto.

Rutten optimistic Heppell will stay | 00:48

“I know he’s been linked heavily with Collingwood, but Richmond (is) coming hard for Tim Taranto as well,” Edmund told Crunch Time.

“If you’re sitting here right now, you’re saying he’s either going to be at Punt Road or Collingwood next year.”

Taranto, who is out of contract but not a free agent until 2024, would be worth a first-round draft pick, according to Brownlow Medalist Gerard Healy.

The on-baller has played 113 games for the Giants since being drafted with Pick 2 in the 2016 draft. He won the club’s best and fairest in its Grand Final year of 2019.

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