The Roos and Tigers are ‘miles apart’ at the trade table. It seems one is likely going to have to pay ‘unders’Ben Waterworth
Fox Sports
October 5th, 2021 Fox Footy pundits Leigh Montagna and David King believe Richmond will likely have to soften its trade stance with North Melbourne, which has flagged its Callum Coleman-Jones deal plans.
The Kangaroos need to find a way to acquire Tiger Callum Coleman-Jones, who’s played just nine games in four seasons at Richmond but been identified by North as the ruck successor to star veteran Todd Goldstein.
But Richmond and North hit an early roadblock on day one of the trade period, with Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph suggesting the two clubs were “miles apart” at the trade table.
The Tigers are keen to acquire Pick 20 – the same pick the Richmond ruck was taken at in the 2017 draft – as compensation for losing Coleman-Jones, who’s been offered a long-term deal on good money at Arden St. But the Roos are unwilling to part with that draft selection, with The Age reporting North had offered a third-round pick for Coleman-Jones while asking for Richmond’s fourth round pick back.
Foxfooty.com.au reported Richmond was “agitated” at North’s push to acquire young a player on a healthy, long-term deal but be unwilling to send Pick 20 to the Tigers.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s Trading Day, Ralph pointed to several other rucks that had been traded in recent seasons for little compensation, including Toby Nankervis from Sydney to Richmond (for Pick 46) and Jarrod Witts from Collingwood to Gold Coast (Pick 44).
“They (the Tigers) think he (Coleman-Jones) is ready to blossom after a pretty solid year, but North Melbourne’s saying: ‘We just don’t think he’s worth that and we don’t think ruckmen are worth Pick 20, we’re prepared to give (Pick) 38 up,’” Ralph told Fox Footy.
“There is the potential for him to go through to the pre-season draft, North are saying: ‘We want to negotiate in good faith and that would absolutely be a Plan B.’”
Montagna said the Kangaroos “have the upper hand in this situation”, meaning Richmond was more unlikely to have its demands met.
“They (the Kangaroos) will deal in good faith and if Richmond don‘t come to the party – a bit like what happened with Jack Martin at the Gold Coast Suns – you say: ‘Worst-case scenario, we walk him through to the pre-season draft and we get him for nothing,’” Montagna told Trading Day.
“Richmond, unfortunately, will have to accept probably under what he‘s worth. But that’s all part of it when you know you’ve got the upper hand as (an) unsigned (player).”
King said he was a “huge fan” of Coleman-Jones and that he was worth Pick 20, but stressed it was a “buyers’ market”.
“The player wants to play AFL footy. He’s been at Richmond for four years, he just hasn’t been able to nail down that first ruck position, he wants ruck exposure not forward exposure,” King told Trading Day.
“I think it’ll get done for that Pick 38. Sure Richmond are not happy, but that’s the law of the jungle. They’ve won the swing a couple of times Richmond, so I think they’ve got to give one up here.
“It might be a little switch with picks that could be the sweetener.”
The Tigers are set to acquire veteran North defender Robbie Tarrant, who’ll have to be traded to the club rather than picked up as a free agent to ensure the compensation pick Richmond received for losing Mabior Chol to the Gold Coast Suns isn’t diluted.
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