Sydney's O'Keefe to meet Victorian clubs
Michael Gleeson | September 30, 2008
SYDNEY forward Ryan O'Keefe is meeting Melbourne clubs this week as he considers a move back to Victoria.
The Swan is emerging as the critical figure who could cause the trade dominoes to fall over in the next fortnight and Collingwood and Carlton are among a small number of clubs making a pitch to lure the out-of-contract forward.
O'Keefe turns 28 before next season and has been offered a three-year deal to remain in Sydney, but he has told the Swans he wants to test the market before re-signing.
He has appointed a manager and has told the Swans he will spend this week meeting suitors.
"Ryan is considering all of his options at the moment and that includes meeting with a number of other clubs, but it would be wrong to say he has walked out on the Sydney Swans," his manager Tom Petroro said.
Sydney coach Paul Roos said last night that O'Keefe had not told the club he wants to move back to Victoria.
"He certainly hasn't told us that. That's news to us," Roos said. "As far I know, they (contract negotiations) are (continuing). He's been down in Melbourne for a couple of days from what I can gather, but we haven't heard from him that he's leaving."
Collingwood is believed to be among those pursuing the forward, but is believed to have told the Swans last week that Alan Didak would not be part of a deal. The Pies have also ruled out trading their first-round draft pick.
That makes a deal with the Magpies unlikely unless they find another player, or package of players and a draft pick, to satisfy the Swans in the event that O'Keefe wants to move there. Rhyce Shaw and Ben Johnson are two who could be part of negotiations.
The Magpies have had success at the draft in rebuilding the club in recent years and despite their interest in O'Keefe, they are believed to be concerned not to disrupt that draft-first policy.
Carlton is desperate to bolster its forward line, which is heavily reliant on Brendan Fevola, so would naturally be attracted to a player such as O'Keefe who might improve their depth of forward talent as a hard-running lead-up player.
St Kilda is another club expected to show interest in O'Keefe by virtue of Ross Lyon's connection to Sydney. Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster last year both followed Lyon to Moorabbin.
Melbourne, with first pick in the pre-season draft, naturally lurks as a possibility for any out-of-contract player. This year, uncontracted players can also choose to nominate for the national draft but it would be difficult to envisage the former premiership player walking out on his club for no compensation.
O'Keefe was on the short list of 40 players named in the All-Australian squad this year but was unlucky to miss the final team. He was runner-up in the club's best-and-fairest in its grand final season in 2006.
From Strathmore, he played under-18s for the Calder Canons before being drafted by the Swans in 1999 at pick 56. He grew up supporting Footscray, the team his father played for, but the Dogs are believed not to be among those pursuing him.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/okeefe-to-meet-other-clubs/2008/09/29/1222650989902.html
