Rumour GFC 2023 Player Trading, Drafting FA, Rumours and Wish lists Pt1

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As we are now getting into the season and we are starting to get a bit more serious with discussion, seems a suitable time to post the following as it's repeatedly shown itself to be a value reference tool in trade & draft discussion

And as per normal, thanks to Lore for putting this together - always a fantastic reference tool



And yes this post is now stickied - makes it easy to keep track of (can easily reverse this though if needed)
 
Vdubs said:
Why on earth do we not keep Sav?
He has been needed all year, and is looking more assured each week.
Click to expand...

We need to acquire draft picks ahead of this years ND

Even being out of contract, Ratugolea provides the best option for improving our draft hand

Has there actually been any noise around Ratugolea re-signing with Geelong? Seems that all the noise is how he’s all but assured of being at Port next year, though there’s late interest from Essendon & even Hawthorn. Even TDK was linked to staying with Carlton in the months prior to his re-signong

If Ratugolea does re-sign then I wouldn‘t be suprised to see one of SDK, Kolodjashnij or even J. Henry looking at their options next year, as we’ve seen this year that the 4 don’t balance in defence - means one is either played out of position or in the VFL
 

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CatToTheFuture said:
Of course he has. He has to publicly back his players and their adaptability. It may not be true
Click to expand...
We are not in a great position VFL wise with elite tall defenders; we need to keep the guy that so many clubs are after
 
cats_09 said:
We need to acquire draft picks ahead of this years ND

Even being out of contract, Ratugolea provides the best option for improving our draft hand

Has there actually been any noise around Ratugolea re-signing with Geelong? Seems that all the noise is how he’s all but assured of being at Port next year, though there’s late interest from Essendon & even Hawthorn. Even TDK was linked to staying with Carlton in the months prior to his re-signong

If Ratugolea does re-sign then I wouldn‘t be suprised to see one of SDK, Kolodjashnij or even J. Henry looking at their options next year, as we’ve seen this year that the 4 don’t balance in defence - means one is either played out of position or in the VFL
Click to expand...
I'd be very surprised. JH will be at Geelong forever, DeK loves it there, and so does Kolo.
If Sav does leave, it will be one that will hurt us I feel. But clearly, that's just me
 
Vdubs said:
He's clearly in our best 22.
Click to expand...

Is that when our other first preference KPDs & KPFs are available or when someone is missing with injury/suspensions/managed?

It seemed that when all of Hawkins, J. Henry, Kolodjashnij & SDK were available, that Ratugolea was outside the 22 and found himself back in the VFL - if all those 4 play on next season, where does Ratugolea fit in? Or does at least one of them have to be missing for a spot to open up in defence for him?


When Cameron was missed with injury & his concussion recovery, he was the one we seemed to decide that we didn’t need to shuffle things around to replace and instead placed trust in Rohan & Ollie to stand up in his absence

And next year Neale will have another pre-season under his belt which will hopefully see him get at least a few opportunities up forward
 
Vdubs said:
Why on earth do we not keep Sav?
He has been needed all year, and is looking more assured each week.
Click to expand...

Sav is OOC

Sav will have multiple choices

I am sure we will make an offer so its not a matter of ... we are pushing him out the door


but he will have to decided if he really is in our best side... with all fit. The backline is not like our mid group. Henry and Sdek are young.. so its not clear that he is in our best backline
 
Turbocat said:
There is little doubt he is now wanted on our list. Our coach makes the right noises.. but I think one really cant tell if he is in the best22 till its finals. Even then it may dep?end on who we play.
Click to expand...
and if we don't, which is very possible?
 
cats_09 said:
Is that when our other first preference KPDs & KPFs are available or when someone is missing with injury/suspensions/managed?

It seemed that when all of Hawkins, J. Henry, Kolodjashnij & SDK were available, that Ratugolea was outside the 22 and found himself back in the VFL - if all those 4 play on next season, where does Ratugolea fit in? Or does at least one of them have to be missing for a spot to open up in defence for him?


When Cameron was missed with injury & his concussion recovery, he was the one we seemed to decide that we didn’t need to shuffle things around to replace and instead placed trust in Rohan & Ollie to stand up in his absence

And next year Neale will have another pre-season under his belt which will hopefully see him get at least a few opportunities up forward
Click to expand...
Did you conveniently forget he was out several weeks with a hammy, and did take a week or 2 to regain touch, which he now has...?
Depending on how we go out this year, I could see several retire- Hawkins, Tuohy, Smith.
Developing Sav as much as we have, it seems bizarre now to let him go when he finally playing great consistent footy- he is better than SDK this year.
 

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Vdubs said:
Did you conveniently forget he was out several weeks with a hammy, and did take a week or 2 to regain touch, which he now has...?
Depending on how we go out this year, I could see several retire- Hawkins, Tuohy, Smith.
Developing Sav as much as we have, it seems bizarre now to let him go when he finally playing great consistent footy- he is better than SDK this year.
Click to expand...
Didn't Hawkins recently on 360 indicate he wants to go around one more year?
 
I haven't talked about whether we should keep Sav much in here since the rumour of him having an ungodly offer from Port that we have no hope of matching.

If we forget about that rumour or possibility, of course it makes complete sense to hold onto him.

SDK's form this season has been choppy both with and without Sav in the team, much like the performance of our entire defensive unit.

Kolo may fall off a cliff early like Bews. J.Henry's foot is a ticking time bomb. Even if all are available, long term we may want to convert SDK into our next Blicavs or turn him into a forward.

Ratugolea will only get better and has coaches votes in 4 of 14 games in his first full AFL season as a defender. 4 more times than SDK and Kolo.
 
Vdubs said:
I'd be very surprised. JH will be at Geelong forever, DeK loves it there, and so does Kolo.
If Sav does leave, it will be one that will hurt us I feel. But clearly, that's just me
Click to expand...

It will hurt but matching a long term big money deal from port would hurt more.
 
Vdubs said:
and if we don't, which is very possible?
Click to expand...

If Sav was left out of a best 22 finals side when fully fit... I would think that would confirm for him that he needs to look elsewhere.

It would then be a Dangerous Liaisons situation ... Beyond Geelong's control. They would have to trade to who ever he would like to play for. Geelong will not pay silly money for a guys they over look when it counts
 
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cats_09 said:
We need to acquire draft picks ahead of this years ND

Even being out of contract, Ratugolea provides the best option for improving our draft hand

Has there actually been any noise around Ratugolea re-signing with Geelong? Seems that all the noise is how he’s all but assured of being at Port next year, though there’s late interest from Essendon & even Hawthorn. Even TDK was linked to staying with Carlton in the months prior to his re-signong

If Ratugolea does re-sign then I wouldn‘t be suprised to see one of SDK, Kolodjashnij or even J. Henry looking at their options next year, as we’ve seen this year that the 4 don’t balance in defence - means one is either played out of position or in the VFL
Click to expand...

Its plausible.

Kolo is 29 next year and a UFA. Would it be a huge leap to see him being offered a lucrative deal by someone in need of an experience 193cm premiership backman.. especially if he is "rested" a few weeks in favour of Sav.

I think we have to adjust our backline to be a little more focused on speed and rebound rather than overhead superiority. That probably mean Bews and a younger version of him. Mullins or someone else.

Another factor is balance if we play Sav. Sav would be expected to be the tall marking defender, its what he does well... and just like against Port it would leave Kolo playing more on smalls. Kolo's best game have been when he takes intercept marks.
 
Turbocat said:
If Sav was left out of a best 22 finals side when fully fit... I would think that would confirm for him that he needs to look elsewhere.

It would then be a Dangerous Liaisons situation ... Beyond Geelong's control. They would have to trade to who ever he would like to play for. Geelong will not pay silly money for a guys they over look when it counts
Click to expand...
We won't face that scenario with J.Henry out anyway.
 
Turbocat said:
Its plausible.

Kolo is 29 next year and a UFA. Would it be a huge leap to see him being offered a lucrative deal by someone in need of an experience 193cm premiership backman.. especially if he is "rested" a few weeks in favour of Sav.

I think we have to adjust our backline to be a little more focused on speed and rebound rather than overhead superiority. That probably mean Bews and a younger version of him. Mullins or someone else.

Another factor is balance if we play Sav. Sav would be expected to be the tall marking defender, its what he does well... and just like against Port it would leave Kolo playing more on smalls. Kolo's best game have been when he takes intercept marks.
Click to expand...
I have loved Kolo's contributions to the Cats. But if it was in my control I would be trading him out before Ratugolea. He reached his ceiling last year and has had one of his worst years, but like you said clubs would still potentially offer something decent. Sav is the age profile and stage of development we need to be keeping unless it's out of our hands (Godfather offer).
 
Funny how a few mentioned in here ends up in the press ... Parish, Crouch Stephens, Macrae, Dow .... Was Smith in the press first? Not sure. McLuggauge ? Thats newish.





Cap space: How Geelong its trying to reset its premiership list​

Geelong is not afraid to make a big play at trade time, and an A-grade midfielder will be top of the wish list as the ageing Cats try to avoid a full rebuild.


Geelong would consider itself pretty sorted for bookends.
At one end they have the best spearhead in the game in Jeremy Cameron and down the other its 22-year-old premiership hero Sam De Koning.

Plus, there is the Henry brothers, Jack and Ollie, Tom Hawkins wants to go around again next year, and young tall Shannon Neale is in development mode.

But it is in the middle of the ground that the blue and white baton is about to be passed.

It is a challenge not beyond the list management masterminds who have helped keep this ridiculously successful club at the top for about two decades.

If they miss finals this year it will be only the third time in 20 years they have failed to make the eight.

But it won’t be lost on the Cats that five of the six players named to start in the middle of the ground in last year’s glorious premiership triumph over Sydney will start next season 31 or older.

And this season, there has been a drop-off in the guts.

Geelong has slumped from sixth last year to 14th for clearances, and from fourth to 10th for contested possessions in their premiership defence, according to Champion Data.


The Cats also rank last in the competition for the number of times a midfielder has racked up at least 25 disposals in a game.

Strangely, Geelong has registered only eight 25-plus possession hauls from a midfielder this year, compared to 17th-ranked North Melbourne (21) and 16th-ranked Richmond (24).

At the top of the list is Collingwood (50), Hawthorn (46), GWS (45) and the Western Bulldogs (44). Clearly, those clubs have some elite midfield stars.

For Geelong, some of that decline is talent and some is injury.

Cam Guthrie has missed the bulk of the year with a serious toe problem and it is a shame top-10 draft pick Jhye Clark suffered a bone stress injury in his foot.

But the Cats have a bit of an age gap issue.

And the query is whether there is enough elite ballwinning talent in their prime for the Cats’ next chapter.

Patrick Dangerfield needs some help in the middle. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Patrick Dangerfield needs some help in the middle. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Joel Selwood retired, Isaac Smith is 34, Patrick Dangerfield 33, Mark Blicavs and Mitch Duncan are 32, Sam Menegola 31, Cam Guthrie turns 31 this month and Tom Stewart, who has stepped into the middle for big chunks late this season, is 30.

The Cats have defied the age profile many times, but the cliff edge is close for a few premiership stars.

And behind the scenes these next two years are big on the planning front as the midfield shifts into something of a new era.

At the forefront are young trio Tanner Bruhn, 21, Max Holmes, 20, and Clark, 19.


Geelong has high hopes for young midfielder Tanner Bruhn. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong has high hopes for young midfielder Tanner Bruhn. Picture: Michael Klein

Bruhn has had an encouraging year linking up, Holmes has huge upside with his power and speed, and first-year ballwinner Clark is considered solid as a rock.

Tom Atkins, 27, has been another outstanding find from the VFL but was quiet early on in 2023, while Jack Bowes, 25, has settled into defence.

The jury might be a little out still on Brandan Parfitt, 25, who has played only six games this year at 10 disposals apiece, and was the sub on the weekend.

But it is that decent-sized gap between the crew who are still attending 21st birthday parties and the 30-year-old premiership heroes that will be addressed.

There is scope for a prized midfielder to enter the mix from a rival club. Some more class and polish.

And if list boss Andrew Mackie and legendary talent-spotter Stephen Wells are up to their old tricks, the club will make the most of its destination club appeal and target a big fish in the prime age bracket.

A new Dangerfield. A marquee ballwinner. A star playmaker. Another A-Grader.

Someone like Essendon’s Darcy Parish, a free agent who said he wants to stay at the Bombers, or Bulldog Bailey Smith, who faces a big decision on his future when he comes out of contract next year.

Sydney’s Dylan Stephens is a No.5 pick, and is weighing up his next move amid interest from North Melbourne.

Then there’s Adelaide hard-nut Matt Crouch, who has reignited his career over the past three weeks after sitting on the shelf in the SANFL for the best part of the past two years.

Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage is a top-line free agent next year. Would Kangaroo Tarryn Thomas be worth the punt despite the off-field issues? Clubs are watching him super closely.

Sydney’s Ollie Florent is silky smooth. Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders, a pick 11, has interest.

Down the order Finlay Macrae from Collingwood wants a go and Carlton’s Paddy Dow is up for grabs. Melbourne’s James Jordon wants opportunity.

There are options.

Geelong is a club which doesn’t go for long rebuilds, and they don’t mind taking a risk either, list boss Mackie told the Herald Sun last year.

“What we do know is this competition is even, so if you make a binary decision to say, ‘We are rebuilding’ then that is potential pain for a long time,” Mackie said.

“What’s the point of being conservative and safe?

“We could do that. But we are really open and OK to explore outside the norm. We have had to.

“If we see something we like, we aren’t afraid to pull the trigger.”

The Cats tried hard for Jacob Hopper, but in the end baulked at a seven-year deal.

If history is anything to go by, the Cats will aim high on the talent scale in a bid to find another elite player to help lead the midfield.

But they don’t overpay.

The rewards are the silverware, they say, rather than the bank balance.

And Geelong won’t rely on just free agents. They stumped up early picks in trades for Cameron and Dangerfield, and Brad Ottens before free agency came in.

And Bulldogs’ line-breaker Smith looms as the most intriguing option.

IS BULLDOG BAILEY HAPPY?

Geelong has repeatedly doused the flames on the chatter about Smith.

But the club had half an eye on Smith back in the 2018 national draft before he joined the Bulldogs.

It was weeks out from that year’s super draft, and interstate clubs had a gut feel Smith was a flight risk, and preferred to stay home in Victoria.

It was a long shot, but the Cats had all their fingers and toes crossed Smith would slip past the Bulldogs’ pick (seven) to Geelong’s pick 15.

After the Dogs there were five interstate club picks, plus North Melbourne was locked into Tarryn Thomas and Collingwood was taking Isaac Quaynor as part of the old next generation academy selection system.

And if the Dogs went for Zak Butters at pick 7 as some suspected, the Cats were hopeful Smith could slide all the way to them.

The Cats are keeping a close eye on [PLAYERCARD]Bailey Smith[/PLAYERCARD]. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Cats are keeping a close eye on Bailey Smith. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images


While it wasn’t to be, leaving the Cats with Jordan Clark at pick 15 that year, fast-forward five years and the jungle drums are once again beating about Geelong and the man with the mullet.

Not for this season, but next year when Smith comes out of contract is the hot tip in recruiting circles.

The Dogs have a salary cap squeeze on their hands as they try to sign-up big men Aaron Naughton, Tim English and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

And Smith would love to spend more time onball rather than on the forward flank.

The Dogs have a midfield logjam, while the Cats have a job vacancy.

WHAT WOULD HE COST?

The Dogs are confident Smith stays, but the club would want a top-10 pick if the goalkicking midfielder chose to exit next year.

Josh Dunkley was last year traded to Brisbane Lions for pick 21 and a future first-rounder.

There was also a swap of other second, third and fourth-round selections as part of a drawn-out negotiation.

But if Smith wants to go, it would have to be for a single-figure draft pick.

Crouch from Adelaide is an unrestricted free agent, and would cost nothing in a trade.

The Swans would want a first-round pick for Stephens, and North Melbourne would want something in the top 20 for Thomas, who has overcome some off-field issues this year.

Carlton’s Dow and Jordon, from Melbourne, could come cheaply, but aren’t a top dog option.


AIR-SAVA

Geelong is at risk of losing Esava Ratugolea to a long-term deal from Port Adelaide after the key defender lost his spot in the senior team.

Few players have wanted out of Geelong over the years, but Ratugolea has resisted Geelong’s attempts to re-sign him in 2023 after making a trade request to the Power last season.

Some think the Cats’ defence is better without him, but after losing Henry to another foot injury last week, Ratugolea could yet have a key role in the run home.

The problem with a deal is Port Adelaide has work to do to rearrange its draft hand after trading out its future first and second-round picks this year for Jason Horne-Francis and Willie Rioli.

It means Port has to make moves to bring in picks this year to satisfy the Cats.

[PLAYERCARD]Esava Ratugolea[/PLAYERCARD] could be on the way out of the Cattery. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Esava Ratugolea could be on the way out of the Cattery. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images


If not, Geelong will target Port’s future first-rounder as part of a deal, which Port would almost certainly baulk at.

Those trade games are to be played out, but the writing on the wall suggests Ratugolea walks.



RUCK PRODIGY

Veteran rucks Rhys Stanley and Jon Ceglar, both 32, have decisions to make on their futures.

The Cats are excited about the upside of young tall Toby Conway (taken with pick 24 in 2021) despite a foot injury which derailed his season.

The plan is for the 20-year-old to get some exposure at senior level next season, but he will need at least one of Stanley or Ceglar to stay.

The Cats are not expected to make a strong play for Melbourne’s Brodie Grundy, as the club believes Conway is the man to take it forward in the ruck.

The Geelong Falcon, who has grown to 206cm this year, was All-Australian at the national championships in his draft year.

The Cats have previously shown an interest in Dockers big man Sean Darcy, but the star ruck has said he’s staying in the west.
 
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Turbocat said:
That leaves doubt in his mind... what happens if all were fully fit?
Click to expand...
Yeah exactly, it's difficult because he was rested/managed or whatever you want to call it after his initial return from the hammy. But then has been selected and prioritised quite a lot this season. We don't have a massive sample where all of Sav, Kolo, SDK and J.Henry have been available. So what would they do? Can they all play 17 games each next season?

Ultimately it's hard for me to mull over too much when it seems like so much depends on this supposed offer from Port. Which will affect compensation vs cost to keep. It'd be a shame to lose him but if it somehow got us a lot closer to acquiring Parish it'd certainly soften the blow and become win/win for all parties.
 
Mr Meow said:
I have loved Kolo's contributions to the Cats. But if it was in my control I would be trading him out before Ratugolea. He reached his ceiling last year and has had one of his worst years, but like you said clubs would still potentially offer something decent. Sav is the age profile and stage of development we need to be keeping unless it's out of our hands (Godfather offer).
Click to expand...

Know what you are saying. The future of the afl... whether it be 1 year of ten years ... is the ability to move players with or without their approval. Perhaps they receive a a penalty payment outside of the cap from the departing team... maybe they are paid out what they are owed or a straight money value... all to compensate for being pushed.

But morally ..... why is it not acceptable to move players without their approval ... yet we draft kids and tell them where they will be playing?
 
Turbocat said:
Funny how a few mentioned in here ends up in the press ... Paris, Crouch Stephens, Macrae, Dow .... Smith





Cap space: How Geelong its trying to reset its premiership list​

Geelong is not afraid to make a big play at trade time, and an A-grade midfielder will be top of the wish list as the ageing Cats try to avoid a full rebuild.


Geelong would consider itself pretty sorted for bookends.
At one end they have the best spearhead in the game in Jeremy Cameron and down the other its 22-year-old premiership hero Sam De Koning.

Plus, there is the Henry brothers, Jack and Ollie, Tom Hawkins wants to go around again next year, and young tall Shannon Neale is in development mode.

But it is in the middle of the ground that the blue and white baton is about to be passed.

It is a challenge not beyond the list management masterminds who have helped keep this ridiculously successful club at the top for about two decades.

If they miss finals this year it will be only the third time in 20 years they have failed to make the eight.

But it won’t be lost on the Cats that five of the six players named to start in the middle of the ground in last year’s glorious premiership triumph over Sydney will start next season 31 or older.

And this season, there has been a drop-off in the guts.

Geelong has slumped from sixth last year to 14th for clearances, and from fourth to 10th for contested possessions in their premiership defence, according to Champion Data.


The Cats also rank last in the competition for the number of times a midfielder has racked up at least 25 disposals in a game.

Strangely, Geelong has registered only eight 25-plus possession hauls from a midfielder this year, compared to 17th-ranked North Melbourne (21) and 16th-ranked Richmond (24).

At the top of the list is Collingwood (50), Hawthorn (46), GWS (45) and the Western Bulldogs (44). Clearly, those clubs have some elite midfield stars.

For Geelong, some of that decline is talent and some is injury.

Cam Guthrie has missed the bulk of the year with a serious toe problem and it is a shame top-10 draft pick Jhye Clark suffered a bone stress injury in his foot.

But the Cats have a bit of an age gap issue.

And the query is whether there is enough elite ballwinning talent in their prime for the Cats’ next chapter.

Patrick Dangerfield needs some help in the middle. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Patrick Dangerfield needs some help in the middle. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Joel Selwood retired, Isaac Smith is 34, Patrick Dangerfield 33, Mark Blicavs and Mitch Duncan are 32, Sam Menegola 31, Cam Guthrie turns 31 this month and Tom Stewart, who has stepped into the middle for big chunks late this season, is 30.

The Cats have defied the age profile many times, but the cliff edge is close for a few premiership stars.

And behind the scenes these next two years are big on the planning front as the midfield shifts into something of a new era.

At the forefront are young trio Tanner Bruhn, 21, Max Holmes, 20, and Clark, 19.


Geelong has high hopes for young midfielder Tanner Bruhn. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong has high hopes for young midfielder Tanner Bruhn. Picture: Michael Klein

Bruhn has had an encouraging year linking up, Holmes has huge upside with his power and speed, and first-year ballwinner Clark is considered solid as a rock.

Tom Atkins, 27, has been another outstanding find from the VFL but was quiet early on in 2023, while Jack Bowes, 25, has settled into defence.

The jury might be a little out still on Brandan Parfitt, 25, who has played only six games this year at 10 disposals apiece, and was the sub on the weekend.

But it is that decent-sized gap between the crew who are still attending 21st birthday parties and the 30-year-old premiership heroes that will be addressed.

There is scope for a prized midfielder to enter the mix from a rival club. Some more class and polish.

And if list boss Andrew Mackie and legendary talent-spotter Stephen Wells are up to their old tricks, the club will make the most of its destination club appeal and target a big fish in the prime age bracket.

A new Dangerfield. A marquee ballwinner. A star playmaker. Another A-Grader.

Someone like Essendon’s Darcy Parish, a free agent who said he wants to stay at the Bombers, or Bulldog Bailey Smith, who faces a big decision on his future when he comes out of contract next year.

Sydney’s Dylan Stephens is a No.5 pick, and is weighing up his next move amid interest from North Melbourne.

Then there’s Adelaide hard-nut Matt Crouch, who has reignited his career over the past three weeks after sitting on the shelf in the SANFL for the best part of the past two years.

Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage is a top-line free agent next year. Would Kangaroo Tarryn Thomas be worth the punt despite the off-field issues? Clubs are watching him super closely.

Sydney’s Ollie Florent is silky smooth. Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders, a pick 11, has interest.

Down the order Finlay Macrae from Collingwood wants a go and Carlton’s Paddy Dow is up for grabs. Melbourne’s James Jordon wants opportunity.

There are options.

Geelong is a club which doesn’t go for long rebuilds, and they don’t mind taking a risk either, list boss Mackie told the Herald Sun last year.

“What we do know is this competition is even, so if you make a binary decision to say, ‘We are rebuilding’ then that is potential pain for a long time,” Mackie said.

“What’s the point of being conservative and safe?

“We could do that. But we are really open and OK to explore outside the norm. We have had to.

“If we see something we like, we aren’t afraid to pull the trigger.”

The Cats tried hard for Jacob Hopper, but in the end baulked at a seven-year deal.

If history is anything to go by, the Cats will aim high on the talent scale in a bid to find another elite player to help lead the midfield.

But they don’t overpay.

The rewards are the silverware, they say, rather than the bank balance.

And Geelong won’t rely on just free agents. They stumped up early picks in trades for Cameron and Dangerfield, and Brad Ottens before free agency came in.

And Bulldogs’ line-breaker Smith looms as the most intriguing option.

IS BULLDOG BAILEY HAPPY?

Geelong has repeatedly doused the flames on the chatter about Smith.

But the club had half an eye on Smith back in the 2018 national draft before he joined the Bulldogs.

It was weeks out from that year’s super draft, and interstate clubs had a gut feel Smith was a flight risk, and preferred to stay home in Victoria.

It was a long shot, but the Cats had all their fingers and toes crossed Smith would slip past the Bulldogs’ pick (seven) to Geelong’s pick 15.

After the Dogs there were five interstate club picks, plus North Melbourne was locked into Tarryn Thomas and Collingwood was taking Isaac Quaynor as part of the old next generation academy selection system.

And if the Dogs went for Zak Butters at pick 7 as some suspected, the Cats were hopeful Smith could slide all the way to them.

The Cats are keeping a close eye on Bailey Smith. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Cats are keeping a close eye on Bailey Smith. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images


While it wasn’t to be, leaving the Cats with Jordan Clark at pick 15 that year, fast-forward five years and the jungle drums are once again beating about Geelong and the man with the mullet.

Not for this season, but next year when Smith comes out of contract is the hot tip in recruiting circles.

The Dogs have a salary cap squeeze on their hands as they try to sign-up big men Aaron Naughton, Tim English and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

And Smith would love to spend more time onball rather than on the forward flank.

The Dogs have a midfield logjam, while the Cats have a job vacancy.

WHAT WOULD HE COST?

The Dogs are confident Smith stays, but the club would want a top-10 pick if the goalkicking midfielder chose to exit next year.

Josh Dunkley was last year traded to Brisbane Lions for pick 21 and a future first-rounder.

There was also a swap of other second, third and fourth-round selections as part of a drawn-out negotiation.

But if Smith wants to go, it would have to be for a single-figure draft pick.

Crouch from Adelaide is an unrestricted free agent, and would cost nothing in a trade.

The Swans would want a first-round pick for Stephens, and North Melbourne would want something in the top 20 for Thomas, who has overcome some off-field issues this year.

Carlton’s Dow and Jordon, from Melbourne, could come cheaply, but aren’t a top dog option.


AIR-SAVA

Geelong is at risk of losing Esava Ratugolea to a long-term deal from Port Adelaide after the key defender lost his spot in the senior team.

Few players have wanted out of Geelong over the years, but Ratugolea has resisted Geelong’s attempts to re-sign him in 2023 after making a trade request to the Power last season.

Some think the Cats’ defence is better without him, but after losing Henry to another foot injury last week, Ratugolea could yet have a key role in the run home.

The problem with a deal is Port Adelaide has work to do to rearrange its draft hand after trading out its future first and second-round picks this year for Jason Horne-Francis and Willie Rioli.

It means Port has to make moves to bring in picks this year to satisfy the Cats.

Esava Ratugolea could be on the way out of the Cattery. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Esava Ratugolea could be on the way out of the Cattery. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images


If not, Geelong will target Port’s future first-rounder as part of a deal, which Port would almost certainly baulk at.

Those trade games are to be played out, but the writing on the wall suggests Ratugolea walks.



RUCK PRODIGY

Veteran rucks Rhys Stanley and Jon Ceglar, both 32, have decisions to make on their futures.

The Cats are excited about the upside of young tall Toby Conway (taken with pick 24 in 2021) despite a foot injury which derailed his season.

The plan is for the 20-year-old to get some exposure at senior level next season, but he will need at least one of Stanley or Ceglar to stay.

The Cats are not expected to make a strong play for Melbourne’s Brodie Grundy, as the club believes Conway is the man to take it forward in the ruck.

The Geelong Falcon, who has grown to 206cm this year, was All-Australian at the national championships in his draft year.

The Cats have previously shown an interest in Dockers big man Sean Darcy, but the star ruck has said he’s staying in the west.
Click to expand...
Many words, zero actual linking us to players. Quiet trade period coming up.
 
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