Another Dogs star tells club he wants out as two Victorian rivals hold interest — Trade Whispers

MACRAE REQUESTS TRADE FROM DOGS

Triple All-Australian and premiership-winning Bulldog Jack Macrae has requested a trade from the club with three years remaining on his deal.

RSN’s Matt Nevett first reported Macrae, 30, has asked to play for another club in 2025. AFL Media reports Macrae, like Bailey Smith, hasn’t nominated a preferred landing spot.

St Kilda and Geelong, who both need midfield help, are interested in Macrae according to Seven’s Ryan Daniels.

It comes after Channel 9’s Tom Morris revealed rival clubs see Macrae and Caleb Daniel, 28, as gettable “for the right price” despite claiming the pair hadn’t requesting trades at their exit meetings on Monday.

While Daniel and Macrae are contracted at Whitten Oval until 2026 and 2027 respectively and finished the season in the senior side, there’s been noise around their futures after the pair fell down the pecking order in Luke Beveridge’s side this year.

Daniel spent the majority of this season in the sub vest, while Macrae was the sub in the elimination final loss to Hawthorn and has gradually lost midfield minutes.

Melbourne is expected to show interest in Daniel following Angus Brayshaw’s retirement and after reportedly dropping out of the race for Dan Houston.

DIMMA MEETING CONVINCED DAVIES TO STAY A SUN

A meeting with Damien Hardwick convinced Alex Davies to reject interest from Victorian clubs and recommit to the Suns.

As first reported by AFL Media, the Suns Academy graduate has rebuffed bids from Collingwood and Geelong and is closing in on a two-year extension with Gold Coast.

Davies could’ve waited for those rival clubs to ramp up their interest in the coming weeks, but a meeting with Hardwick assured the 22-year old his future was at Gold Coast despite playing seven AFL games this season.

In addition to his exit meeting last month, Davies convened with the Suns coach last week to clarify his role and where he stood in Hardwick’s plans for 2025 with the looming trade additions of Daniel Rioli and John Noble plus Academy draftee Leo Lombard set to further bolster the team’s depth.

The 193cm inside midfielder, who’s been stuck behind the likes of Gold Coast’s star-studded on-ball group of Matt Rowell, Noah Anderson and Touk Miller, was told he was a required player and even that he’d be in Hardwick’s starting side.

Davies produced promising form in the back-end of the season including recording season highs in disposals (20) and tackles (12) in the Suns’ Round 18 win over Port Adelaide — where he copped a three-match ban — before returning for Gold Coast’s final three games.

He’s played 32 senior games for the Suns since making his debut in 2021 including a career-best 15 appearances under Stuart Dew in 2022.

Gold Coast is also exploring trades for former Pick 2 Jack Lukosius including links to his home state South Australia.