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Any speculation over the future of Brent Harvey is officially over. The record holder for AFL games played confirmed at North Melbourne’s best-and-fairest last night that he had decided to retire.
» All the trade rumours
» List of free agents
» Every trade and free agency move
As someone who has been a Boomer fan since first finding a love for footy, all I can say is, well done on an unbelievable career, you bloody brilliant champion you!
Notably, Nick Dal Santo and Drew Petrie also both gave speeches at the event but did not confirm either way their intentions to retire or play on – suggesting they’re still looking at their options.
Free agency opened yesterday and we did have one move officially made, with Hathorn lodging a deal to sign Tyrone Vickery on a two-year contract.
We’re now waiting on a decision from the Richmond Tigers as to whether or not they will match the offer from Hawthorn.
It’s an interesting dilemma – the reported deal was going to be a three-year contract which probably would’ve netted Richmond a second round pick, but with the news that it’s only a two-year signing, the Tigers might only get a pick in the third round as compensation.
If they believe that’s going to be the case they could opt to match the offer and force Hawthorn to trade for Vickery instead, and demand a second-round pick.
However with the Hawks also looking to bring in Jaeger O’Meara and Tom Mitchell, and likely prioritising those two over Vickery, they might then back away from the potential deal and leave the Tigers with no choice but to re-sign Vickery.
My best guess is that the Tigers will eventually make the call to let Vickery go – no team has ever matched a free agency offer before, and Tyrone Vickery isn’t the player to start doing it over.
Speaking of Hawthorn and Tom Mitchell, he is said to still be in conversation with Sydney and will likely declare his intentions next week one way or the other.
No doubt Swans fans will hold out a little hope that he might still re-sign with the club, but it seems overwhelmingly likely that he’ll ask for a trade.
Another notable development on Friday was that for the first time the Brisbane Lions started talking about Pearce Hanley and Tom Rockliff as trade-able commodities – not going so far as to say they will be traded, but admitting there were decisions needing to be made on both players.
Lin Jong took himself off the market on Friday by signing a two-year deal to remain at the Western Bulldogs despite interest from Gold Coast. Clay Smith also, as expected, re-signed with the Bulldogs, though Joel Hamling remains unsigned and is drawing interest from Fremantle.
Reece Conca seems to have backflipped on his decision to leave Richmond with new Tigers footy boss Neil Balme saying that Conca would re-sign with Richmond soon.
Scott Thompson took himself off the free agency market by re-signing with the Adelaide Crows on a one-year deal.
North Melbourne are said to have decided not to pursue free agent Nathan Brown, as signing him as a free agent would likely cancel out any compensation they might receive from the expected departure of Daniel Wells to Collingwood.
They could potentially have opted to trade for him instead and still gain a compensation pick for Wells, but it’s reported they’ve also decided he does not fit their list strategy of an ‘aggressive reset’.
One player who has become a target for them is yet-to-debut Adelaide Crows ruck/forward Harry Dear – son of Hawthorn’s Paul Dear, who won the 1991 Norm Smith medal. Dear has been with the Crows for two years since the Hawks opted not to recruit him as a father-son selection, but is yet to sign a new contract since being drafted.
Gold Coast has emerged as a possible destination for out-of-contract Crow Jarryd Lyons, and will no doubt ramp up their interest now that Jong has knocked them back. North Melbourne are also reportedly interested in Lyons.
Carlton could be the next home of journeyman Jay Schulz who has previously played with Richmond and Port Adelaide. He was told by the Power he wouldn’t get a new contract for 2017, but the Blues could potentially make use of the experienced spearhead.