Ottens poised to join Cats as Hawthorn brace for key loss
Greg Denham
October 08, 2004
A COMPLICATED five-club trade deal last night should today result in disgruntled Richmond ruckman Brad Ottens being released to Geelong.
And the exodus of high-profile players from Hawthorn could continue today with defender-midfielder Joel Smith contemplating a lucrative offer to join Collingwood.
The Ottens deal could send Richmond's Ty Zantuck to the Kangaroos, Geelong's Brent Moloney to Melbourne and Kangaroos forward Leigh Harding to Carlton and fulfil the Tigers' requirement as they gain overall selections nine (from the Blues) and 16 from the Cats. Carlton will move back three places in the draft and have accepted selection 12 from Melbourne, which originally came from West Coast to secure Adelaide's Tyson Stenglein. The deal includes a number of other draft selections swaps.
The 27-year-old Smith could follow Nathan Thompson out the door at Glenferrie Oval, three days after his vice-captain quit to join the Kangaroos.
Smith is on holiday in Bali and was last night expected to sleep on his offer from Collingwood and make a decision today whether to join his third club.
Hawthorn was last night resigned to losing Smith only days after chief executive Jason Dunstall believed the Hawks were close to agreeing to terms of a new contract for the two-time All-Australian.
Smith's manager Ricky Nixon yesterday said he believed a trade could be arranged between the two clubs today. "The ball's in Joel's court," Nixon said. "Collingwood just came out of the blue and offered him a lucrative three-year deal."
Collingwood may give up its first pick, No.7 overall, and swap it with pick No.10 which Hawthorn received from the Kangaroos for Thompson, starting a rebuilding phase which will enable the Hawks to enter the draft with the prime selections two, five and possibly seven. Fremantle yesterday clinched a deal allowing Josh Carr to leave Port Adelaide and join the Dockers on a three-year contract.
After much debate during the week, Port Adelaide accepted Fremantle's first three draft selections -- picks 11, 27 and 43 -- to release Carr, who will join his brother Matthew.
The Port Adelaide premiership vice-captain will be contracted for the next four years.
The Dockers remain confident a deal could be finalised today to secure Heath Black from St Kilda. Black started his career as a Docker but moved to St Kilda at the end of 2001. Whatever compensation Fremantle receive from Richmond for losing Troy Simmonds, probably a late first-round pick or an early second-round selection, will be offered to the Saints for Black.
And after unsuccessfully attempting to satisfy Richmond's requirements for Ottens, the Swans reverted to plan B yesterday and recruited back-up Melbourne ruckman Darren Jolly. Sydney provided the Demons with its first pick in the draft, No.15.
Aaron Shattock, a member of Brisbane's 2002 premiership team, is expected to return home to Adelaide to join Port Adelaide today after a meeting with coach Mark Williams.
Lance Whitnall remains contracted to Carlton for 2005 but negotiations with St Kilda for a trade will enter the final day.
Nixon, who is Whitnall's manager, last night expressed doubts as to whether a deal will be done.
"I doubt whether it's going to happen," he said. "Carlton appear unrealistic in what they want."
The Blues could today be tempted by St Kilda's first-round selection, No.17.
Kangaroos midfielder Jess Sinclair is on the verge of agreeing to terms for a new two-year contract to remain at Arden Street.
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