With De Goey still having not put pen to paper with the Pies,perhaps using the Saints’ strong interest as leverage,St Kilda remain hopeful of snaring the star midfielder/forward.

“We’ve had a number of conversations with Jordan and his management over a few months now so he’s got a big decision to make,and the time’s coming pretty quickly for that decision,” Saints list manager James Gallagher told AFL Trade Radio.

“I anticipate in the next two or three days he’ll make that call and that’ll shape a little bit of what we do over the next couple of weeks,but we think he would be an outstanding fit for our footy club and our footy team.

“He’s an exceptional player,he’s a big-game player,he’s got plenty of footy in front of him so we think he would work in really,really well with our group and our club.

“But he is a Collingwood player,he’s been there for a long time and he’s got some pretty strong relationships there.”

Talented young St Kilda defender Hunter Clark is reportedly strongly considering a move to North Melbourne,but Gallagher said the Saints would be “really reluctant” to let the contracted 23-year-old depart Moorabbin.

“He is a terrific lad ... we love having him around the club,” Gallagher said of Clark.

“Mainly through injury,we haven’t seen the best of him yet and he is a young player,he is an emerging player,so his best years are ahead of him.

“I expect he will be with us next year and hopefully a long time beyond that.”

Gallagher also backed up Bradley Hill’s manager Colin Young,who earlier this week said he would be surprised if Hill left the Saints,despite interest shown in him by North.

But tough defender Ben Long looks destined to join the Suns,and Gallagher didn’t rule out taking on the Jack Bowes “salary dump” which Gold Coast would reportedly attach pick No.7 to.

“We’re open to all possibilities,provided it fits within our list strategy and our planning,not just for the short-term but for the medium- and long-term as well,” Gallagher said of the Long-Gold Coast trade.

“We’re certainly open-minded.”

Gallagher also said the Saints were keen to bring in another tall player to assist the likes of Rowan Marshall and Max King.

Meanwhile,Mason Wood,Tom Highmore,Tom Campbell and Jack Peris have all signed new one-year contracts to stay with the Saints until the end of 2023 at least.

‘Pony up’:Beveridge’s demand to Lions for Dunkley

Shayne Hope

Luke Beveridge insists the Brisbane Lions will have to “pony up” for Josh Dunkley during the AFL trade period afterthe want-away midfielder claimed the Western Bulldogs’ best-and-fairest award.

Dunkley was as a narrow winner of the Charles Sutton Medal on Wednesday night,just days after making his request for a trade official.

Bulldogs coach Beveridge described the pending move as “the elephant in the room” before presenting Dunkley with the coveted award.

“The obvious thing is that the Lions are going to have to pony up,” Beveridge said.

“Sammy[list manager Sam Power] is going to go to work on that over the next week or two.”

If granted his trade wish,Dunkley will sign a long-term deal with the Brisbane Lions that Beveridge indicated the Bulldogs could not match.

The 25-year-old,who averaged 25.4 disposals and 4.4 clearances a game this season,will leave a big hole in the Dogs’ engine room.

“He’s extremely well respected by everyone within our football club,and obviously,it’s a real shame,” Beveridge said.

“I describe Josh as the glue in our team. He does all the hard team things unconditionally and we’re going to need more of that from his teammates,or former teammates,next year.

“He’s a real diamond that we discovered and pinched from under Sydney’s nose all those years ago.

“It’s difficult to come up and match market value when you’ve got to spread the financial load across your whole group.

“That’s part of it,but Josh has also made a life decision on where he sees his future and where he’s going to live and what it means to him at this point in time,and we respect that.”

Beveridge and Dunkley struck a deal weeks ago that the midfielder would “see it through” with the Bulldogs until their best-and-fairest night,regardless of what decision he made on his future.

The coach said the two parties had invested too much into each other over the years for the relationship to end badly.

“We’ve had a couple of conversations since and the most deflating one was when he called me to let me know what the decision was,” Beveridge said. “Again we had that chat and I reminded him of his conviction and he promised me he’d be here.”

An emotional Dunkley has described his trade decision as a “lifestyle choice” and lauded Beveridge as a “father figure”.

Dunkley became the 13th Bulldogs player of more than 1000 in the club’s AFL/VFL history to play in a premiership,reach 100 games and win a best-and-fairest award.

Dunkley was part of the Dogs’ drought-breaking flag in his debut season (2016).

AAP

One pick for Rankine won’t satisfy Suns

Ronny Lerner

Gold Coast have indicated they want more than just Adelaide’s pick No.5 in the upcoming national draft in return for star small forward Izak Rankine.

Rankine informed the Suns last month that he wanted to return to his home state and link up with the Crows next season.

The 22-year-old former No.3 draft pick had his best season this year,kicking 29 goals,including a couple of bags of four,and it’s going to take more than a top-five selection to get the trade done,according to Suns list manager Craig Cameron.

“The number one thing for what we’re looking for is fair recompense for the loss of a player like Izak who we think has got a really good future in the AFL and is someone that we put four years of development into both on and off field,” Cameron told AFL Trade Radio.

“So we feel it’s important we get recompense for that development,not just the draft pick he was taken at.”

The Suns are also keen to trade out Jack Bowes in a “salary dump” to clear space in their cap,and have attached pick seven as a sweetener for prospective suitors.

“The reason we’re doing the deal is to make sure we’re in a position going forward to attract players that we can trade in,or free agents,so that we’ve actually got the space to bring them in,” Cameron said.

“That is what we’re looking for from this trade. What we get from a draft position,we’ll just negotiate that through as we go,but it’s got to be something that helps us in the future.”

Meanwhile,Cameron said conversations with St Kilda were “progressing pretty well” over a trade for tough defender Ben Long.

“I don’t expect that to drag on into trade period,” Cameron said.

Gardiner staying put

Ronny Lerner

Brisbane key defender Darcy Gardiner has shunned free agency,instead re-signing with the Lions on a new three-year contract.

Gardiner’s future remained under a cloud for much of this year,with multiple Victorian clubs reportedly interested in securing his services.

But the former Geelong Falcon has resisted the urge to return to his home state and is set to be a Brisbane player until the end of 2025.

“I love being at the Brisbane Lions and to be staying for at least another three seasons is something I am stoked about,” Gardiner said.

“When you have not only a great team on field,but a great group of people at the club,it makes you really enjoy your time together.

“I am really looking forward to the future,and hopefully we can achieve something really special.”

The 27-year-old has been a mainstay in the Lions’ backline for almost a decade,and has played 154 games since debuting in 2014,including eight finals in the past four seasons.

‘Lucky and honoured’:Dahlhaus announces retirement

Ronny Lerner

Geelong veteran Luke Dahlhaus has announced his retirement after 225 games with the Cats and the Bulldogs across 12 seasons.

Dahlhaus joined Geelong at the end of 2018,playing 71 games for them and eight finals,including the 2020 grand final.

But after playing the first seven games this year (three as the medical sub),Dahlhaus fell out of favour,only managing another three matches,and was overlooked for the Cats’ finals series.

The highlight of the midfielder/forward’s career came in 2016 when he was part of the Bulldogs’ fairy tale premiership team.

“I feel very lucky and honoured to have played at two amazing football clubs over 12 years and made friends that I will have for life,” Dahlhaus said.

“Thank you to everyone that has supported me along the way.”

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