Anything and Everything Fremantle
Trade Rumours
Ray, Dawson on Freo hit list
013 years
As the Saints also ponder how best to ease salary-cap pressures next season, it has emerged that Lyon, now with Fremantle, could soon direct his attention towards his former club.
Saints midfielder Farren Ray, a West Australian, and full-back Zac Dawson remain out of contract.
The Dockers have regularly inquired about Ray through his management, and did so again recently. The speedy onballer/half-back has become an important cog in the Saints’ line-up since crossing from the Western Bulldogs after the 2008 season.
He has since played 71 matches at St Kilda for a career total of 146, including 21 this season.
Dockers torn between choosing Mitch Clark and Jaeger O’Meara
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Fremantle is torn between trading for Brisbane forward Mitch Clark and winning the frenzied auction for 17-year-old potential superstar Jaeger O’Meara.
The Dockers are keen on sealing both deals but doing that could rip the heart out of their list.
Fremantle will likely hold the upper hand in negotiations for Clark if the 23-year-old utility asks the Lions for a trade to the Dockers this week.
Clark, who was drafted from East Fremantle, has kicked 61 goals in 82 games in six seasons with Brisbane, but has played his best football in the ruck.
Griffin wants to ruck for Port
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Fremantle ruckman Jonathon Griffin wants to return to Adelaide where his AFL career began. But after starting with the Crows, and spending this season with the Dockers, Griffen, who was initially drafted from WAFL club East Fremantle, is said to be poised to request a trade to Port Adelaide despite being under contract beyond this year.
A lack of opportunity at Fremantle has prompted Griffin’s management to sound out Port, which has lost veteran ruckman Dean Brogan to retirement.
Apart from developing ruckman Matthew Lobbe, a 21-year-old in his second season, Port Adelaide is yet to find another big man ready to play at the elite level.
Griffin, who was expecting to partner Fremantle giant Aaron Sandilands for most of this season, has been overtaken in the pecking order by promising big man Zac Clarke, who has improved in his third season.
The 25-year-old Griffin was squeezed out of the Crows after playing 41 games in four seasons and was “given away” last year by Adelaide, which accepted overall selection No 61 for him.
Griffin, who has been limited in the second half of the season with a hip injury, has played seven games this year, most in the absence of an injured Sandilands.
GWS link grows as Palmer-Freo talks stall
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Fremantle’s contract talks with young midfielder Rhys Palmer are on hold until the end of the season as speculation about the 2008 Rising Star winner’s future continues to dog both he and the Dockers.
Fresh rumours linking Palmer to Greater Western Sydney circulated yesterday in the wake of explosive revelations of a massive offer to Melbourne midfielder Tom Scully.
Scully’s management have confirmed the offer, increasing the chances that the second-year Melbourne midfielder could quit the club that invested the No.1 draft pick on him in 2009 with much fanfare.
Velocity Sports Management wouldn’t confirm the size of the Scully offer but media speculation has his proposed pay packet at somewhere between $800,000 and $1 million per year.
Fremantle Dockers looming as centre of offseason draft trades
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Fremantle is looming as a central player in the most complicated trade and draft off-season ever, as Greater Western Sydney prepares for its AFL launch next season.
Dockers’ midfielder Rhys Palmer is understood to have already verbally agreed to join GWS on at least a four-year deal worth about $2million.
But the Palmer move is unlikely to assist the Dockers in their bid to capture 17-year-old future star Jaeger O’Meara.
O’Meara is one of several outstanding juniors whose birthday falls in the January-April 1994 window that allows them to join an AFL club one year early, as part of the Giants’ entry concessions.
Freo a leading contender to swoop on Anthony
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by DockerNow.com
in Trade Rumours
Fremantle has emerged as a frontrunner for John Anthony after the forward walked out on Collingwood last week.
Anthony’s manager confirmed Fremantle’s interest, with the Dockers poised to swoop in December’s pre-season draft.
“There has been some interest from out west for John and there’s been interest from a couple of other clubs,” Anthony McConville told SEN on Monday.
“Fremantle has spoken to him about possibly playing a role as a forward or [down] back.
“Mark Harvey thinks that he can play either end, so it’s just a matter of getting to a club during the pre-season draft and then making the best of his opportunities, whether it be forward or back.”
McConville said his client was happy to go interstate, and was intent on furthering his career – something he felt would not happen if he stayed at the Westpac Centre.
Collingwood or bust for Tarrant, says manager
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by DockerNow.com
in Trade Rumours
Chris Tarrant is prepared to chance his hand in the NAB AFL Draft if Fremantle doesn’t trade him to Collingwood, his manager Paul Connors says.
Tarrant, who spent nine years at the Magpies before joining the Dockers, is desperate to return home and run around in black and white in 2011.
But negotiations between the clubs are progressing slowly at this stage, which has opened the door for Tarrant to enter the draft.
That would result in Fremantle getting no compensation for losing him.
“He’ll be worth whatever Fremantle can get for him, because if they don’t accept that he will go in the national draft,” Connors told afl.com.au’s Trade Week Radio on Friday morning.
The Dockers are currently trying to get a third club – believed to be Adelaide – involved in the deal as they try to secure a more palatable outcome.
Thursfield wants trade
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in Trade Rumours
Richmond will try to secure a trade that will see Will Thursfield move to Fremantle, after the defender expressed his desire for a fresh start.
Thursfield has met with Dockers officials, but with a year to run on his existing contract with the Tigers he is not guaranteed the trade.
Football Operations Manager Craig Cameron has told SEN Thursfield understands he could still be at the club next season.
“We said to him, ‘Mate, it might not eventuate’,” Cameron said.
“If that doesn’t happen, well we’re back at training in late October, and he’ll be welcome back. There’s absolutely no animosity from either side.”
Presti won’t dictate Tarrant trade
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in Trade Rumours
Collingwood will pursue Fremantle defender Chris Tarrant even if full-back Simon Prestigiacomo decides to play on.
Prestigiacomo, who will be 33 in January, has been given time to make his decision on whether to press into a 16th season.
Collingwood recruiting manager Derek Hine said Tarrant would be considered for a “multi-dimensional role” rather than a spot solely in the backline.
“[Tarrant] would just give us another dimension to our list,” Hine told afl.com.au‘s Trade Week Radio.
“In Simon’s case, he’s probably a little bit more one-dimensional and I don’t think that’s a great secret.
“I don’t think that will have any reflection on whether Chris comes in or he doesn’t.”
Hine also said Tarrant’s potential return to the Pies wouldn’t affect the development of premiership defenders Nathan Brown and Ben Reid, who both took giant steps in 2010.
Magpies drive hard bargain over Tarrant
114 years
by DockerNow.com
in Trade Rumours
Fremantle could be left with nothing for homesick defender Chris Tarrant as Collingwood prepare to dig in on a deal to win back the services of their one-time enigmatic forward.
The Dockers and Magpies discussed initial plans yesterday at the opening of the AFL’s annual trade week, but remain divided over an acceptable deal.
Spicing up the issue is Tarrant’s influential manager Paul Connors, who just 12 months ago went through a protracted week when he tried to deliver former St Kilda captain Luke Ball to Collingwood. The Saints’ hard stance and Collingwood’s refusal to compromise, saw Ball forced into the national draft where he was eventually selected by the Magpies with the 30th pick overall.
Tarrant, whose career has been resurrected as a defender under Dockers coach Mark Harvey, only wants to return to his former club.
