North Melbourne looks set to land yet another recruit at the trade period.
Plus another top-10 pick could leave Gold Coast this off-season.
Get all the latest player movement news in AFL Trade Whispers!
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ANOTHER DOCKER NOMINATES NORTH
Darcy Tucker has reportedly become the latest player to nominate North Melbourne as his preferred destination in the upcoming trade period.
AFL Media reports Tucker – who the Dockers are open to trading despite having a year to run on his contract – has settled on the Roos despite interest from several Victorian clubs.
North Melbourne has an extra future second-round and future third-round selection to trade this off-season as part of the AFL’s assistance package.
The Dockers said last week they and Tucker would be open to a “mutually beneficial” outcome involving a trade.
Teammate Griffin Logue is another who is intent on getting to North Melbourne this off-season.
Tucker, 25, has played 108 senior games, with 14 of those coming this season.
SUNS COULD LOSE ANOTHER TOP-10 PICK
– by Marc McGowan with NCA Newswire
Top-10 pick Jack Bowes is the latest Sun who could be on the move.
It’s believed Bowes, who is contracted for two more seasons, has told Gold Coast he wants to explore his options elsewhere after playing only five senior games this year.
Rival clubs are aware the 24-year-old defender is up for grabs.
Star forward Izak Rankine has requested a trade home to South Australia to play for the Crows, while Brayden Fiorini could be a Magpie next season in a salary dump move.
Moving on from Bowes would also help the Suns’ cap situation and they are not expected to stand in his way.
St Kilda’s Ben Long is set to join Gold Coast on a four-year deal as an instant half-back replacement after Lachie Weller, Wil Powell and Connor Budarick suffered ACL setbacks.
They also inquired about Western Bulldogs free agent Jason Johannisen but Long’s commitment means the 2016 Norm Smith medallist is more likely to remain at the Kennel.
Cairns-raised Bowes fell out of favour at Gold Coast this year, making his only senior appearances between rounds 14 and 18, compared to 12 matches at VFL level.
He suffered a shoulder injury at training in January that required surgery and sidelined him for three months.
Bowes was one of the Suns’ four top-10 picks in the 2016 draft, along with Ben Ainsworth, Jack Scrimshaw and Will Brodie.
Scrimshaw and Brodie now play for Hawthorn and Fremantle, respectively, while Ainsworth inked a new two-year deal in April to remain at Gold Coast until the end of the 2024 season.
The initial plan was to integrate Bowes into the Suns’ midfield rotation this year but he remained in a defensive role. He has played 83 games in six seasons.
Gold Coast joins the Giants and Magpies as clubs keen to shed salaries in the trade period after the AFL gave the green light for more salary dump deals that are common in overseas sports.
