The latest on the future of Tim Taranto and Tom Mitchell.
Also, Essendon will miss out on a trade target going forward, but they have bigger fish in mind.
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TARANTO SET FOR TIGERS MOVE $5M MONSTER
Giants weapon Tim Taranto will join Richmond on a monster seven-year deal worth around $750,000 per season, reports the Herald Sun’s John Ralph.
Ralph revealed on Twitter that GWS have agreed that the 24-year-old, who wanted to stay at the club, will leave given the size of the Tigers’ lucrative offer.
Taranto had been weighing up his future in recent weeks, with Collingwood also in the mix for his services, but he is now bound for Punt Road.
But with the midfielder not yet eligible for free agency, Taranto would have to be acquired via trade.
It comes after SEN’s Sam Edmund previously reported that he expected Taranto to submit a trade request to join Richmond in the coming days.
“Now the Tigers are out of the final race, my expectation is that this will happen very soon,” he told SEN.
“GWS wanted to keep him, they offered him a range of options. He was the one they wanted to keep.
“I think he suits the Tigers very well, the injury to Dion Prestia and Jack Graham left them very (depleted) in the midfield.”
The former Pick 2 has played 114 AFL games since making his debut in 2017.
MITCHELL IS NOT EXPECTED TO COMMAND A BIG TRADE PRICE
Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell is a “very good chance” to play elsewhere, likely at Collingwood, according to Triple M reporter Jay Clark.
And it could be picked up for a very cheap price.
It emerged this week that Mitchell was weighing a trade request that would see the 2018 Brownlow medalist join a third AFL team, which comes after the 29-year-old played minutes at midfield reduced this season with Sam Mitchell.
The Hawks are believed to be ready to contribute to the final year of his contract in 2023 worth around $800,000 given the cap space it would help clear.
Clark told Triple M that the Pies, or any club, are “knocking on the door” for Mitchell’s services, and so he doesn’t expect him to get a good pick in a trade.
“What’s going to happen here, and Hawthorn have to understand this, it’s not going to be for a high pick, there’s no first-round pick changing hands here … I wouldn’t be shocked if that involves a pick of third round for Tom Mitchell, depending on what salary Hawthorn will pay,” Clark told Triple M.
“Because Collingwood will sit there and go, ‘we’ll take him, but it’ll be (for) a lower pick.'” So that’s the question for Hawthorn.
“As I understand it, it’s equally Hawthorn pushing him and Tom Mitchell pushing him. He sees his premiership window probably closing at Hawthorn, if he goes to a club like Collingwood he can get back in the mix “.
ROO READY TO SIGN AGAIN, BOMBERS PLACE BLUES GUN RAID
Cam Zurhaar is expected to re-sign with North Melbourne leaving Essendon in need of a new forward target, and Carlton’s Harry McKay could be that man.
The Bombers are loaded with salary cap space and were hoping to land the exciting Zurhaar, but with Alastair Clarkson now on board at Arden Street, the 24-year-old will be re-committed.
A two-year deal could be confirmed in the coming days. Zurhaar, a 2017 rookie draft pick, has kicked 30-plus goals in each of the past two seasons as the Roos won back-to-back wooden spoons.
The Herald Sun reports both the Bombers and Kangaroos have the money to lure 2021 Coleman Medalist McKay from the Blues, who are potentially cap-strapped in the coming years with plenty of young talent in need of new contracts.
McKay will become a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, as will teammate Charlie Curnow before re-committing to a six-year deal before round 23.
Carlton believe they can convince McKay to stay, both for financial reasons and how he feels about the club, but a massive rival bid could make things interesting.
THE SWANS ADMIT BUDDY’S FUTURE MAY BE ELSEWHERE
Sydney will do “what’s best” for Lance Franklin this offseason, whether that means keeping him, allowing him to go elsewhere or saying goodbye while he hangs up his boots.
The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reported Swans chairman Andrew Pridham described the chances of Franklin moving to a third AFL club as “unlikely” but admitted it was a live option.
Franklin and the Swans stalled contract talks in recent months after the club felt they were close to locking down the legendary forward on a new deal, with his salary a sticking point.
“Sydney have for the first time acknowledged that they could play somewhere else at a non-Sydney club,” Ralph told Fox Footy’s coverage of Sydney-Melbourne.
“And according to the Swans, whatever is best for Lance, they will be absolutely happy to accommodate in terms of a trade.
“I spoke to Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham, this could be his last game at the MCG for football, he says everyone is on board with the decision to park these contract talks.
“We would like him to continue playing, if we can find a way for that to happen, but in the end he has to make that decision.
“On the prospect of him playing at a third club, potentially a club like Brisbane, he said it seems unlikely but I’ve been around long enough to know you never know.
“Whatever we do, we support him – the biggest showman tag is so good, whenever he turns it on, nobody can stop him.”
TRADE NOW ‘HIGHLY LIKELY’ FOR PREMIERSHIP EAGLE
Port Adelaide is shaping up to be the “very likely” new home for Junior Rioli, Nine Adelaide’s Corey Norris reports.
Rioli is torn between staying at West Coast, given his time already spent at the club and his help through his drugs ban, or leaving for the Power on a bigger contract.
He would have to apply for a trade as he is not a free agent, but Rioli will reportedly head to Adelaide for a medical next week, with the Eagles’ willingness to match Port’s offer expected Adelaide determines its future.
“The Power has got a multi-year offer in front of them, one that is very, very attractive,” Norris told Nine News.
“And if West Coast don’t match, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that they will, then the out-of-contract 27-year-old will almost certainly request a move to power.
“Rioli is understood to be very open to a return to Adelaide, where he was drafted in 2016 when he was playing for Glenelg.
“The powers that be are desperate to replenish their small forward actions given the retirement of Robbie Gray, they believe Rioli can help fill that void.”
Port Adelaide have pick 8 and then nothing until (currently) pick 52, which may make trading difficult.
Xavier Duursma flew to Perth on Friday but played down any speculation he was looking to move to Western Australia or even talking to WA clubs while there.