Blues star Charlie Curnow reportedly received a mammoth rival offer prior to penning a long-term extension.
Plus a great has urged West Coast to be bold this trade period for further bolster its draft hand.
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CURNOW RECEIVED ‘ASTRONOMICAL’ RIVAL OFFER
Blues star Charlie Curnow received an “astronomical offer” from a rival club earlier this year before penning a long-term extension to stay at Ikon Park, reports SEN’s Sam Edmund.
The 2022 Coleman medallist turned his back on 2023 free agency to re-sign with the Blues on a massive six-year deal until 2029.
And Edmund revealed there was some “stupid big offers” that came for the 25-year old, one particularly lucrative.
“An astronomical offer in particular from a rival club that stretched to seven years at more than $1 million a season over that tenure,” he said on SEN Mornings.
“So the offers were coming thick and fast for him, as they’re for a lot of players at the moment.”
Curnow was rewarded for his career-best 64-goal season to claim his maiden Coleman Medal and All-Australian blazer in a subliminal return from consecutive injury-cruelled campaigns.
Carlton will now turn its attention to re-signing Harry McKay, who’s out of contract at the end of next season.
GREAT URGES ‘IN DENIAL’ EAGLES TO TRADE STARS
Dual All-Australian Kane Cornes believes West Coast is “in denial” about the state of its list and has urged the club to consider trading out its experienced players.
It comes after Eagles CEO Trevor Nisbett said this week the club won’t “discard people who have still got a fair bit of football left in them,” with Cornes saying he thinks it effectively guarantees the club will retain the same core for next year.
Eagles champion Josh Kennedy has already announced his retirement, while the likes of Alex Witherden, Brayden Ainsworth, Jack Redden, Nic Naitanui, Shannon Hurn and Willie Rioli are out of contract.
But after a two-win campaign — West Coast’s worst return in its history — as the club now looks to rebuild its list, Cornes has implored the Eagles to be bold this trade period in a bid to further bolster their draft hand, currently holding picks 2, 20, 26, 38 and 74.
“He’s (Nisbett) basically guaranteed all of the experienced senior players to come back – Luke Shuey’s already recommitted, it feels like Shannon Hurn and Nic Naitanui and (Jack) Redden and these players will all be coming back again, and not a whole lot is going to change at the Eagles,” he said on SEN.
“You need to get as much talent as you possibly can. The problem is they’re in denial and I say that because they’re a bit hamstrung with the contracts that they’ve got.
“Ideally, you would be able to trade out a Gaff or even a Jeremy McGovern, even a Jack Darling to alleviate some of the pressure and then get some of the talent that you need in.
“So you’ve got to find a way to go to the draft. I don’t know how they’re going to do that though and they’re refusing to acknowledge the position the club is in.”
Asked if he’d trade Nic Naitanui, Cornes said: “I would, but the problem is who would tip in to where he’s at? I’d absolutely have a look at trading Andrew Gaff, but once again, it’s really problematic to do. I’d trade McGovern … he just doesn’t play enough footy.”
