Harry Himmelberg’s decision to shun rival offers and remain loyal to Greater Western Sydney knocked over one domino in the key defender merry-go-round for 2023.
While not solely a defender by trade, the 27-year-old was one of several key position players up for grabs heading into the off-season, with plenty of movement expected in the defensive ranks.
Himmelberg has made his choice. Now, foxfooty.com.au looks at the other remaining figures and where they could land by the time the trade period is run and done at some point in October.
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Voss urges Blues to remain ‘on edge’ | 01:36
Tom Barrass (West Coast Eagles)
While the jungle drums reached fever pitch in recent weeks that he would make the move to Sydney, foxfooty.com.au understands Barrass is far more likely to stay at West Coast. Barrass is contracted to the club until the end of 2027 and it’s important to note both club and management insist there’s been no change on their end. The club’s reigning best and fairest winner is one of the only players with genuine trade currency on the Eagles’ list and the Swans are the clear frontrunner for his services on the unlikely chance he plays elsewhere in 2024. Sydney currently has pick No.7 in the draft, with that pick to chop and change depending on results in the final weeks of the home and away season. West Coast would ask for at least that selection for the former pick No.43. Key to negotiations would be how much of Barrass’ salary the Swans are willing to pick up. The Herald Sun reported earlier this year the 27-year-old is on roughly $750,000 this season. Sydney also had interest in Himmelberg before he re-signed, making Barrass’ signature all the more important. Lance Franklin was on a significantly reduced salary in 2023 compared to his nine-year deal, but his retirement also frees up even more cap space. Signs point to Barrass staying put, however.
Ben McKay (North Melbourne)
Multiple industry figures spoken to by foxfooty.com.au expect Ben McKay to request a trade out of North Melbourne, with Essendon looming as his likely destination. Hawthorn is also interested in the 25-year-old, needing more depth at both ends of the ground. McKay has met with the Bombers, as reported by The Age’s Pete Ryan in recent weeks. Despite the recent re-signing of Mason Redman and ongoing negotiations with Darcy Parish, the Bombers have the cap space to accommodate McKay. The issue for McKay is a poor year has limited what clubs may’ve once been willing to pay for him. Still, Essendon has the scope to offer McKay a contract that would meet ‘band one’ requirements for free agency compensation, with pick No.3 likely for North Melbourne when McKay makes his move, even though the AFL has assured aggrieved clubs it would not manipulate its compensation formula if Essendon’s offer didn’t meet band one requirements. Port Adelaide has put more groundwork in on Esava Ratugolea.
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Esava Ratugolea (Geelong Cats)
He has shown promising glimpses as a key defender, but with a relatively healthy back six to choose from has fallen out of the senior side, suggesting he isn’t a consistent part of their best 22. Port Adelaide has been ahead of the game on Ratugolea, trying to get him to the club at the end of last year before the Cats opted to hold him to the final year of his current deal. The Cats have both publicly and privately expressed how much they value Ratugolea and would like to keep him, with Chris Scott once again emphasising it following his side’s win over the Power on Saturday night. Still, a regular senior spot beckons at the Power, where key defensive depth is needed. It would be one of the biggest surprises of the trade period if it ended with Ratugolea still at the Cats.
Mitch McGovern (Carlton)
McGovern’s latest hamstring setback is a reminder of his durability concerns, but the 28-year-old has been a steady option off halfback for the Blues in 2023, who is nearing the end of his fifth and final season on a contract worth around $800,000 per year with the club that poached him from Adelaide. Securing Tom De Koning’s future was the priority for the Blues in recent weeks. Now that’s done, talks on McGovern’s future with the club can begin. He’s keen to stay at Carlton in 2024 and beyond, so it’s a call more indicative of the Blues’ thought process than McGovern’s. Zac Fisher has two years to run on his contract but likely won’t be at Carlton next year, which depending on negotiations with rivals could free up some cap space to fit McGovern in if it is the Blues decide to continue with the defender.
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Dougal Howard (St Kilda)
Howard’s name has come onto the radar of rival clubs recently, more so a reflection of the Saints’ willingness to make some ambitious list calls than any desire from Howard to find his way to a third AFL club. He has another year remaining on his five-year deal at the Saints worth up to $600,000 a season. He offers less versatility than Himmelberg, but at 27 years of age still has plenty of football left in him, meaning suitors that missed out on the former will now have their eyes on the latter, who could fill a similar role while costing less than the former.
Tom Doedee (Adelaide Crows)
Brisbane has been one of the clubs interested in Doedee, but industry figures believe there’s been a shift in recent times, with the 26-year-old now more likely to stay put at West Lakes. He likely won’t return until midway through the 2024 season given his right ACL rupture.
Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon)
Has attracted the interest of Port Adelaide and he is a fair way back in the queue at the Bombers given they are focused on Darcy Parish as well as the possibility of bringing Ben McKay in at season’s end. The Power have the salary cap scope to secure both he and Esava Ratugolea if they wish, bolstering a key area of focus in the defensive stocks. Zerk-Thatcher is in the process of proving his worth as a top key defensive option given teammate Jordan Ridley has been sidelined with a quad strain. His late-game intercept mark on the weekend thwarted the Eagles’ final foray forward.
