‘Have to pony up’: Pies tipped to act as WA rivals set to circle $400k ‘half-priced’ stars

Collingwood has been urged to “pony up with some money” to satisfy a pair of bargain stars amid a “big watch” on circling rivals.

Star ruckman Darcy Cameron and Norm Smith Medal-winning livewire Bobby Hill, each Western Australia natives, have been dubbed “half-priced Pies” due to the nature of their team-friendly contracts.

Herald Sun journalist Glenn McFarlane believes multiple clubs, including the WA clubs Fremantle and West Coast, could come calling this year with big-money offers.

And while he says the Pies remain “very confident” they’ll retain the key pair, he says it’ll soon be time to open the wallet in order to keep them satisfied.

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“The half-priced Pies; you’re looking at players like Darcy Cameron and Bobby Hill. They’ve been outstanding for Collingwood so far … What do you think they’re on? They’re on $400-450,000 a year, which is quite remarkable given the value that they’ve given,” McFarlane told Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle on Tuesday night.

“There are a number of clubs, including from Western Australia, who are very keen on these two native Western Australians.

“The Pies are really confident they’ll keep them, they’re very, very confident they can get a deal done, but they’re going to have to pony up with some money.”

Both Cameron and Hill’s current contracts at Collingwood run through to the end of the 2026 season.

And while the duo are thought to be making between $400-450,000 per season, the Pies’ star off-season recruits are making much more handsome sums; Dan Houston is on approximately $850,000 per year and Harry Perryman a lucrative $900,000.

“You’ve got to pay overs to get players like (Houston and Perryman), but you look at it — Perryman, $900,000, he’s a free agent, that’s big money. You put the two guys (Cameron and Hill) together, there’s $900,000 right there,” McFarlane said.

Fellow Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph offered a different perspective, posing: “I agree they’ve got to keep them happy, but what’s the obligation for the club? They gave Bobby Hill four years, they gave Darcy Cameron four … what’s the obligation?

“(Collingwood will think) ‘Hang on, we’ve got two more years, we’ll have a think about it again at the start of next year — we’re not trading you, but we’re not just throwing money at you just because you’ve had great first halves of your contracts’.”

McFarlane responded: “I think they’ve got to pony up a little bit of money now, I think that’s what they’ve got to do. They’ve got a few other deals to get done as well when you look at it — Brayden Maynard wants to stay … then Jack Crisp another.

“So, I think what you’ll find is there’ll be some sort of deal done at some stage later in the year, but certainly, (a) big watch on the WA clubs keeping an eye on these two guys.”