JAY CLARK
Herald Sun
June 10, 2015Collingwood and Richmond are eyeing the exchange period ready to add some extra midfield-forward class that would add the lick of cream to their cakes.
Which club is the most advanced, or appealing destination? One veteran list expert said Collingwood, as it had “smartly traded out” players in recent years, building a strong base of young talent.
This year, Collingwood is into Greater Western Sydney prime mover Adam Treloar on a deal reportedly worth up to $750,000 a year, and up-and-down Lion James Aish.
The Tigers would love Giant Dylan Shiel or one of Gold Coast pair Brandon Matera and Dion Prestia.
Swan Daniel Hannebery, who is a top-three Brownlow contender and a free agent next year, could also be sought, along with tough nut Luke Parker. Sydney’s salary cap is “Buddy” tight.
The next three weeks, when the clubs have their byes, is when the contract talks usually heat up.
Richmond list guru Blair Hartley said last November the Tigers would “hopefully have the space to attack the (player) market in the next two or three years”.
He said the club had been “managing the cap to make sure you are in a position to be involved when you need to be, like everybody else”.
Surely, they would ask the question of Dangerfield, too.
Dangerfield’s manager, Paul Connors, said the Crows’ superstar was honouring his commitment to Adelaide.
“It’s not like contract talks are off,” Connors said on Triple M.
“He is playing like a committed person for the Adelaide footy club ... and he will make up his own mind in the second half of the year.”
But in this year’s free agency period, the Cats have a $1.3 million bombshell move in store to wrench their premiership window back open.
If Adelaide superstar Patrick Dangerfield (estimated $800,000) and Carlton’s Lachie Henderson ($500,000) setup camp down the Geelong coast, as many industry insiders increasingly expect, the Cats will pull off a free agency heist that might be bigger than the “Buddy” Franklin deal.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/geelong-targets-patrick-dangerfield-and-lachie-henderson-with-bombshell-13m-lure/story-fnp04d70-1227390329237
