Eagle Junior Rioli’s wish to join Port Adelaide could be unlocked by a separate free agency move.
Plus a Giants young gun is “definitely out”, while Fremantle’s increased offer won’t be enough to keep Griffin Logue.
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KEY TO UNLOCKING RIOLI-POWER TRADE
West Coast is bracing for Junior Rioli to request a move to Port Adelaide – and a separate deal involving an outgoing Power free agent could unlock the trade, reports The West Australian.
The off-contract Rioli, 27, flew to Adelaide this week where he completed a medical and met key Power figures, including Shaun Burgoyne.
An honest Rioli told reporters in Adelaide he was “hopeful” of joining Port but later insisted it wasn’t because of any friction with West Coast, adding: “If you’re going to get paid somewhere else better or you’ve got a longer stint somewhere, you’re going to move not just for yourself but for your family.”
While the Eagles on Tuesday hadn’t been informed of any formal trade request, The West Australian reported there was a “growing resignation” a request from Rioli’s camp was coming.
It comes weeks after Power wingman Karl Amon flagged his intention to exercise his free agency rights and join Hawthorn – and the compensation selection Port will receive for losing Amon would reportedly be an integral part of a Rioli trade.
That pick will be determined by the deal Amon signs to join Hawthorn.
7 News Melbourne reported last month Amon was set to sign a four-year deal, which had previously been mooted to be worth up to $650,000 per season
Complicating trade negotiations somewhat is the fact West Coast already holds Port Adelaide’s second-round pick. The two clubs struck a trade during last year’s draft that saw the Power move up the order to help them land Josh Sinn at Pick 12, with the Eagles moving down two spots but netting the Power’s future second-rounder.
Asked how the Eagles would approach a trade request for Rioli, Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett told The West Australian: “We will have to sit down as a list management group and ascertain what we do from here on in.”
GIANT ‘100 PER CENT GONE’
Giants young gun Tanner Bruhn has told those close to him he wants to be traded, reports RSN 927.
Bruhn, who was selected by the Giants with Pick 12 in the 2020 draft, remains uncontracted beyond this year.
The 20-year-old has attracted interest from multiple Victorian-based clubs, with new North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson reportedly speaking with Bruhn in recent weeks.
Speaking on RSN Breakfast Club, reporter Mark Stevens said Bruhn would be another Giants player to leave the club.
“Tanner Bruhn is in Melbourne at the moment … Geelong and North are interested in him,” Stevens told RSN Breakfast Club.
“He’s 100 per cent gone – in fact he’s told people that. So it’s just a matter of where.
“He’s definitely out at GWS.”
Bruhn has played 30 games for the Giants in his first two years in the AFL, including 17 of a possible 22 this year.
He’s set to join Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper and Bobby Hill as Giants players to depart the club during the upcoming trade period.
BETTER OFFER WON’T KEEP DOCKER
A new offer from the Dockers is unlikely to convince Griffin Logue to stay at Fremantle, reports the Herald Sun.
From as early as April this year, Logue has been linked to a move away from the Dockers.
North Melbourne emerged as the latest club to flag its interest in Logue, who’s also been linked to Collingwood and Brisbane throughout the year.
The Herald Sun reported Fremantle had “upped its offer” to Logue, offering him $500,000 per season – around double what he was initially offered.
But the report indicated it still wouldn’t be enough to keep Logue at the Dockers.
Logue has played 63 games for Fremantle ever since being selected with Pick 8 in the 2016 national draft as a key defender.
The 24-year-old has been swung forward in the back-half of this season, booting 6.8 from his past 12 games, including a goal in Freo’s thrilling elimination final win over the Western Bulldogs on the weekend.
