There’s a bit to juggle at Collingwood, with a ruck attracting ample rival interest and a forward in an unfamiliar position.
Meanwhile, Adelaide is “perfectly placed” to trade for one of the AFL’s hottest young stars.
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RIVALS ‘COMING FROM THE CLOUDS’ FOR IN-FORM MAGPIE
Collingwood premiership ruck Darcy Cameron is keen to stay at the Magpies, but rival clubs would be “coming from the clouds” for him, according to Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph.
After being part of the Magpies’ 2023 premiership side then making the extended All-Australian squad last year, Cameron has been in career-best form this season, averaging 19.3 disposals, 13.3 contested possessions, 4.5 marks (2.8 intercept) and 6.5 clearances, while 7.5 of his 29.5 hit-outs are going to a teammate’s advantage.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle on Tuesday night, Ralph said there’d been little to no progression on a new Collingwood deal for 29-year-old Cameron, despite his excellent form.
“Darcy Cameron is almost the best ruckman in the game – he just took down Tom De Koning … he is absolutely airborne,” Ralph told Midweek Tackle.
“But Collingwood doesn’t pay for ruckmen … They just got rid of Brodie Grundy on $1 million a year – they’re paying his salary to be at Sydney.
“Right now, there was an expectation after that second (place) in the best and fairest for Darcy, ‘OK you’ll revisit my contract, I’ll get more money in the next couple of years and get an extension’ – it hasn’t happened. Those talks are nowhere.”
Ralph suggested other clubs would be “coming from the clouds” to acquire Cameron, including Carlton and St Kilda, depending on where free agent Tom De Koning decides to play at season’s end
“Rivals would pay (Cameron) $900,000,” Ralph said. “So the question is do you value those players?
“Right now Collingwood would say that ruck is not a high value position, but do you move on a $1 million man (Grundy) and pay the next bloke maybe $800,000 to stay, $900,000 to go? It’s a real conundrum.
“He does want to stay, he does want to win a flag – it’s a real challenge.”
PIES VETERAN KEEN TO PLAY ON DESPITE ‘UNFAMILIAR POSITION’
And Cameron isn’t the only premiership Magpie without a deal for next season, with Brody Mihocek declaring he’s keen to stick with Collingwood.
The 32-year-old remains unsigned for 2026 and beyond, which is an “unfamiliar position”, as pointed out by The Age, for Mihocek, considering his previous two deals – a two-year extension in December 2022 and a three-year extension in December 2020 – were all signed before entering the season out of contract.
Mihocek has been a revelation for the Magpies since being drafted out of the VFL, booting 236 goals from 140 games and claiming five consecutive Collingwood leading goalkicker awards from 2019 to 2023.
Speaking to The Age, Mihocek said he would like to play on next year, but is aware the club will likely take its time before making calls on a host of veteran players later in the year.
“I have been quite lucky to get two- or three-year contracts, and now I honestly just want to play,” Mihocek said.
“There is no real thought to (next year). I love the club and want to keep going.”
As well as Mihocek and Cameron, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Howe, Mason Cox, Jamie Elliott, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Tom Mitchell are all without a deal after this season.
CROWS ‘PERFECTLY PLACED’ TO TRADE FOR STAR … BUT STAYING AT SAINTS MORE LIKELY
Adelaide would be in a better position than its cross-town rivals to trade for off-contract star defender Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera at season’s end, according to Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph – although remaining at St Kilda remains the most likely scenario at this stage.
One of the most exciting and watchable young stars in the AFL, Wanganeen-Milera has made a blistering start to his 2025 campaign, averaging 27.5 disposals, 7.3 intercepts, 6.3 score involvements and 518m gained.
The 22-year-old, who was drafted out of South Australia by St Kilda with Pick 11 in the 2021 draft, remains unsigned beyond this season.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle, Ralph said Wanganeen-Milera’s next deal could be worth around $1.2 million per season, adding his “price rises by the week”.
He said while the Crows don’t intend to meet with Wanganeen-Milera while the Saints are in town for gather Round, they “couldn’t love him anymore” and were better placed than the Power to strike a trade, should he decide to leave.
“What Adelaide does that Port Adelaide haven’t – and they’ll both be suitors – is their full draft hand,” Ralph told Midweek Tackle.
“Port Adelaide gave away that future first in the Jack Lukosius trade (last year). Adelaide has got not only a first-rounder this year but a first-rounder next year – and they could front-end the deal.
“They’re perfectly placed with their list demographic to potentially give up two first-round picks for him.”
Dangerfield opens up on leaving Crows | 01:19
But Ralph said the prospect of Wanganeen-Milera moving back to SA at this stage was less likely.
“I still think that he stays,” Ralph said.
“I think if St Kilda was prepared to offer him, call it, $5 million over four years to get him to free agency, I think you’d feel as a St Kilda fan that’s a price you’d pay.”
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