The “jungle drums keep beating” around the possibility of a gun Demon’s departure.
Meanwhile, one of Gold Coast’s prized draft selection could again be on the table for rivals to throw offers at.
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‘Sick & tired’ – AFL’s draft SLAMMED | 01:15
DON’T ‘SHUT THE DOOR’ ON KOZZIE MOVE
Don’t dismiss the possibility of a Kysaiah Pickett move, says SEN’s Sam Edmund.
Despite his contracted status, rumblings remain around Pickett’s situation — potentially propelled by his close relationship with West Australia-bound Shai Bolton.
“The jungle drums keep beating on Kozzie Pickett,” Edmund told Trade Radio on Tuesday afternoon.
“He’s very good friends with Shai Bolton, and he and Shai socialise outside of football, and Shai’s clearly going back to Perth or wants to.
“I think the conversation was just as muck-around as ‘oh mate, come play footy with me in Perth, it’d be great fun’, and that’s how it started initially.
“Word gets back to the Dockers, the Dockers pick up the phone, then the interest starts bubbling around — and Kozzie, as we know, has mentioned from time to time over the course of recent seasons that he has a period of homesickness.
“Perhaps he’s loved the Melbourne Football Club but hasn’t loved the city of Melbourne and living here, so it’s just maybe something to keep an eye on. I wouldn’t shut the door on it at this stage.”
It comes after Paul Hasleby reported on SEN WA that “there’s still a bit of talk and chatter from him that he still wants to get back to Western Australia”.
The 23-year-old was drafted to the Demons with Pick 12 in 2019, has played 106 games in five seasons and has a deal until the end of 2027.
After playing 14 games in his rookie campaign, Pickett has played at least 21 senior matches in every season since ‘21.
‘Premiership window’ on target again! | 02:21
UP TO SIX CLUBS EYEING SUNS’ PREMIUM PICK
For the second consecutive year, one of Gold Coast’s first-round draft selections has become ‘in-demand’ around the league, per AFL Media journalist Cal Twomey.
Last year it was the club’s fourth overall selection that had rival clubs fighting to move up the order — with Gold Coast needing to match four respective first-round bids for a quintet of Academy prospects.
The Western Bulldogs eventually acquired it and ended up picking at No. 6 — taking Tasmanian midfielder Ryley Sanders — after a matched bid for Jed Walter and the Ben McKay compensatory pick shifted the order back two spots.
This year, Pick 12 looms as a potentially-gettable asset as the Suns prepare to match an early bid for 18-year-old gem Leonardo Lombard.
Twomey reports Carlton, Collingwood, North Melbourne and Melbourne have ‘interest’ in the pick, while GWS and Adelaide are ‘expected to look at’ the selection.
Gold Coast is also looking to bring in established talent as opposed to continually picking at the top of the order, according to coach Damien Hardwick in September.
“We’ve got picks this year, but we primarily want to bring in established talent,” Hardwick told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“We had four first-round picks last year, so we don’t need to keep having first-round picks — we need to sit there and actually bring in players that can help us right here, right now.”
The Suns are planning October trade deals for rebounding pair Daniel Rioli and John Noble and currently hold Picks 6 and 20 in Round 1 in addition to 12, as well as a pair of second-rounders to possibly deal.
Source Agencies
