Dons ‘not budging’ on ‘insulting’ Stringer offer; Vic trio’s late plays for All-Aus star — Trade Whispers

BOMBERS ‘NOT BUDGING’ ON STRINGER OFFER

Essendon is “not budging” on its current contract offer to Jake Stringer, according to Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph, as the dynamic forward ponders testing the market and a potential move to a third club.

Stinger has activated a trigger clause in his deal that gives him an extension for 2025 worth $400,000.

The 30-year old booted 42 goals this season — one less than Essendon’s leading goalkicker Kyle Langford.

It follows a report from The Age that Bombers skipper Zach Merrett met with coach Brad Scott to “express disappointment” that the club decided not to table extensions to Stringer and Jayden Laverde beyond 2025.

The meeting, which was held at a cafe, was prearranged.

That came a day after Stringer, Laverde and their manager, Robbie D’Orazio, met Scott as well as Essendon list manager Matt Rosa and chief executive Craig Vozzo, with both players reportedly advised to seek opportunities elsewhere if they wanted longer deals.

“So Essendon is basically saying: ‘That’s your salary, play on.’ He’s saying: ‘Well that’s unacceptable’. I think he would feel that’s insulting,” Ralph said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“It’s not budging. Right now Essendon doesn’t believe if he left it would impact the harmony of the football club, Zach Merrett has already gone in to bat for him.

“It’s not to say at some stage Essendon might not put in some performance clauses or increase that offer.

“But I think once you ask a player to test the market and say, ‘if you can get two years, go,’ you say a lot about whether you trust them or want them.

“I think right now if Jake could find a two-year deal he’d have a very serious decision ahead.”

Sydney has already been linked to Stringer as a potential suitor, while Ralph suggested Melbourne and Collingwood as other options for the ex-Bulldog given the cheap price tag.

“Absolutely Essendon can (incentivise his current deal), but at this stage they’ve decided not to. They’re saying: ‘The next step is for you to go and test the market’,” Ralph continued.

“If I was him and I found two years at $600,000, which is the top 200 pay scale — it’s not very much money in an $18 AFL salary cap.”

Triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown added on the program: “$400,000 seems low for a player who’s reached his performance triggers. Essentially he’s taken a pay cut while the salary cap is going up 20 to 25 per cent.

“It just doesn’t seem like a great deal for Jake Stringer.”

RACE FOR HOUSTON RENEWED

Dan Houston’s insistence he’ll be staying at Port Adelaide in 2025 hasn’t stopped Victorian clubs trying to lure him home.

The 27-year-old, who was named an All-Australian for the second time late last week, said he was “committed” to the Power.

But Collingwood, Carlton and St Kilda are still trying to lure him across the border, reports The Age.

The Power have placed a price of two first-round picks on Houston’s head, which will make things very difficult for the Magpies, given they don’t have their own first rounder this year – sent out in the Lachie Schultz deal last year.

But they could get a solid pick back for John Noble who has requested a trade to Gold Coast, and use their future first-rounder.

The Blues have a strong link with Houston via coach Michael Voss, who was at the Power before taking the top job at Ikon Park, while the Saints are simply desperate for talent.

It’s believed the Power would consider letting Houston go if he is desperate to leave, then using their bolstered draft hand and focusing on replacing him with GWS free agent Harry Perryman.

Houston has another four years on his contract and will miss the finals series due to the suspension handed down for his Showdown bump on Izak Rankine.

KOZZIE STAYING PUT?

Melbourne livewire Kysaiah Pickett is reportedly staying put despite showing signs of homesickness.

It emerged last week that Pickett, 23, told coach Simon Goodwin at his exit interview he was homesick and weighing up a trade for family reasons.

Fremantle was seen as the frontrunner if a move eventuated. The gun small forward, who’s contracted until 2027, has family in both Adelaide and Perth, having been raised in both Western Australia and South Australia.

But the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reports Pickett will play for Melbourne in 2025, joining Christian Petracca in committing to the club.

“Kozzy Pickett is driving back to Darwin as we speak. He’ll stop in at Adelaide and speak to his manager Peter Rohde … he’s going nowhere,” Ralph said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“He’s a bit homesick, as he always is. His younger sister lives in Melbourne, he’s there with his partner and young child.

“Ideally he’d love to have more Indigenous teammates and he doesn’t really have a home … but he won’t be going anywhere.”

Pickett will miss the first three games of the 2025 season through suspension.