Hawks coach’s interstate meeting with Barrass; Pies veteran talks up about future: Trade Whispers
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has flown to Western Australia to meet with premiership Eagle Tom Barrass, as the Hawks focus on the outstanding defender.
According to Channel 7, after Hawthorn players returned to Melbourne following Sunday’s win over Adelaide, Mitchell flew west to meet Barrass.
It was revealed last week that the Hawks had entered the competition for the 28-year-old, who, while being under contract with the Eagles until the 2027 season, is thought to be considering his options.
The Western Bulldogs are also fiercely pursuing the crucial defender, while Collingwood has previously been associated with an interest.
Mitchell played and subsequently coached Barrass at West Coast from 2017 to 2019, including the club’s 2018 Premiership season.
When asked explicitly on Channel 7’s Talking Footy if the Hawks were interested in Barrass, Mitchell said: “Every player who is currently a free agency, I believe we’ve been linked to.
“I believe the market has altered dramatically since I last played. It is not fair for coaches to discuss how their players are performing in their current roles.
“Every head coach wants to enhance their roster for following year, and there are several ways to do it, including the draft, free agency, and trades. So any talented players we believe may help us will undoubtedly be contacted.”
Last month, Barrass rejected any talk of a relocation.
“I am a West Coast Eagles player and unless the rug gets pulled out from under my feet I will stay that way,” said the athlete.
“I’m very excited about what we’re doing here, as well as some of the talent.”
“It happens every year, and it isn’t really a narrative. “AFL clubs are pursuing an established key position player,” he stated.
“It is the currency of football so I wouldn’t be reading into it too much.”
Mitchell has been one of the more hands-on coaches in the transfer space, attempting to entice players away from rival clubs.
The Hawthorn coach has reportedly spoken directly with other targets, Saint Josh Battle and Bulldog Bailey Smith, and led a Hawks delegation to Sydney to speak with Giant Harry Perryman.
According to the story, a meeting with Jack Ginnivan at Mitchell’s residence in October last year encouraged the former Magpie to join the Hawks.
Barrass would cost Hawthorn at least one first-round pick, while the Hawks are said to be willing to deal with their first pick after selecting in the top ten in each of the last four drafts.
The ninth-place Hawks are currently tied for selections 10 and 27 in the 2024 draft.
Channel 7 reported last week that Hawthorn would be well-positioned from a salary cap standpoint to acquire both Barrass and Battle, who would cost nothing in a trade as a free agent.
Howe discusses the future.
Collingwood veteran Jeremy Howe says he is in serious discussions with the club regarding whether or not he will play next year.
Howe, 34, and fellow Magpies champions Scott Pendlebury, 36, and Steele Sidebottom, 33, will be out of contract at the end of the season, a year in which the team has plummeted down the league ladder, raising questions about the end of an era.
Ahead of his 400th game against Carlton this weekend, Pendlebury announced on SEN that he had a contract with Collingwood for 2025 that still needed a few technicalities worked out.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Tuesday night, Howe stated that he would like to extend his career into next year as long as he can still contribute to Craig McRae’s side.
“That would be amazing. I believe it is a topic we frequently discuss in the club among the older members. “If you feel like your body and mind are ready to go, then yes,” Howe replied.
“But it’s a talk with the club about whether you still believe we have enough impact within the team to keep us around. “I would like to think so.”
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley feels Howe, Pendlebury, and Sidebottom are still playing at a high enough level to deserve contract extensions, while Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt stated it could depend on whether the Pies believe they can win another flag in 2025.
“It’s probably more where they think they’re at,” Riewoldt explained on Fox Footy.
“Do you believe this marks the end of the premiership era and that it is time to regenerate? Or does Craig McRae, as I am convinced he does, feel they can go again and keep those stars?
“A different club that might be struggling, say it was Richmond, might look to move them on to regenerate.”
Treloar gets an early contract extension.
Adam Treloar, Western Bulldogs’ standout midfielder, is poised to sign an early contract extension beyond the 2025 season.
Treloar was traded from Collingwood to the Bulldogs at the end of 2020, with five years remaining on a deal that the Magpies contributed to.
And, given Treloar’s strong performance with the red-hot Dogs this season (averaging 32.3 disposals, the second-best return of his career), the 31-year-old is expected to stay at Whitten Oval for at least another season.
“He is flying; this dude is currently airborne. On Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle, Herald Sun columnist Jay Clark predicted Treloar might beat Marcus Bontempelli for the club best and fairest this year.
“The Western Bulldogs are working on a deal, and I believe they will sign him for one more season, which will take him to the end of 2026.
“He signed a $900,000-a-year contract with the Western Bulldogs against his will, with the Bulldogs paying $600,000 and Collingwood paying $300,000, that will expire next year.
“But Adam Treloar will play on until 2026.”
According to fellow Herald Sun columnist Sam Landsberger, Treloar is the Dogs’ best signing of the modern age.
“It’s a great get from the Dogs, this has been one of the best trades probably this century,” he went on.
“To get Adam Treloar and his output for $600,000 a year, I think that’s just about their best acquisition for the century.”
