A former Hawk and Magpie is reportedly “desperate” to continue his career and has been linked to a third club.
Plus West Coast has spoken out on its demands in a Rioli trade.
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PHILLIPS ‘DESPERATE’ TO PLAY ON, LINKED TO TWO CLUBS
Essendon is reportedly interested in delisted Hawthorn wingman and former Magpie Tom Phillips.
AFL Media’s Callum Twomey reports the Bombers are looking to add running depth and could throw the 26-year old a career lifeline.
Philips, who’s played 115 AFL games since making his debut in 2016, was let go by the Hawks after just four senior appearances in his second season at the club that included injury issues.
Twomey said on SEN radio Phillips is “desperate” to continue his career at a third club, with St Kilda also linked to him, although it’d likely hinge on if Brad Hill departed.
Phillips, who can be picked up as a delisted free agent, enjoyed a career-best season for Collingwood in 2018 before being traded by the club in 2020 during the infamous salary cap exodus.
The Bombers previously had interest in him during his time at the Magpies.
EAGLES PREPARED TO TRADE RIOLI ELSEWHERE
West Coast says its on Port Adelaide to satisfy it in a trade for Junior Rioli, and if not, the club is prepared to trade him elsewhere.
The Eagles this week were left “bitterly disappointed” after the 2018 premiership forwarded handed in his trade request to return to South Australia for family reasons.
Reports state the Eagles are likely to ask Port to include Western Australia forward Mitch Georgiades in a trade for Rioli, a request likely to be rejected.
However speaking on SEN WA Breakfast, Eagles list boss Rohan O’Brien said the Power had to come to the table with good offer or risk missing out on him to a rival team.
“In our eyes (his value) is pretty significant given the type of player he is and the age that he is and we think he’s approaching his best footy,” O’Brien told SEN WA Breakfast.
“We haven’t sat down as a group to work out what that looks like at the moment.
“In our eyes it’s really up to Port now to come up with a satisfactory deal that will allow us to agree to the trade.
“If they can’t do that, then there’s potentially other avenues. In preliminary discussions there was other clubs interested in Junior.
“Whilst we’ll try and deal with Port and if it’s something we’re happy with we’ll do that trade, if not we’ll potentially look at other avenues.”
The 27-year old, who Port is believed to have offered a four-year deal worth around $2 million, missed the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to a doping ban.
