The potential addition of Dan Houston would make Collingwood a top four force once again, according to an AFL great. And could a young Port key forward help unlock a trade?
After landing free agent Harry Perryman last week, the Magpies have emerged as the frontrunner for Houston despite interest from Carlton, who’s intent on keeping its first-round pick, and North Melbourne.
It could result in a complex three-way trade involving Collingwood, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast that’d also send Jack Lukosius and Joe Richards to the Power and John Noble to the Suns as negotiations drag on.
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The Pies would effectively swap out Noble, Richards, their own 2025 first rounder and potentially a later pick and gain dual All-Australian Houston and possibly a later pick from the Suns, like selection 23 or 29.
“This is a great win for Collingwood, there’s not far to go. A week ago we all thought it was going to be Carlton, the Magpies have now jumped over,” Herald Sun’s Glenn McFarlane said on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.
“(Houston) hasn’t officially nominated Collingwood, but he’s very keen to get to Melbourne. He sees Collingwood as a really good option now.
“How’s this for a backline — (Darcy) Moore, (Brayden) Maynard, (Jeremy) Howe, (Isaac) Quaynor, Houston and potentially Josh Daicos if he plays halfback. They’re all either All-Australians or All-Australian nominees.
“It’d be a great result if they could get Dan Houston in this trade, they’ve already got (Harry) Perryman.”
Hawthorn legend Jordan Lewis believes Collingwood is still searching for a key forward to add to its mix, questioning if it could also target 22-year old Ollie Lord in the Houston deal.
“I think there’s been a desire from Collingwood for a key forward. Port Adelaide has a few key forwards, some playing, some have been in and out,” Lewis began.
“Mitch Georgiades would be the ideal type, I think we can comfortably sit here and say that won’t be happening.
“Ollie Lord keeps popping up. Maybe he’s the player that can really unlock this deal and get Houston to Collingwood.
“Lord has played 19 games, looks a likely type, but probably just been starved of opportunities with (Charlie) Dixon being there and Georgiades and the like.”
Fellow Herald Sun reporter Jay Clark responded: “If they got (Lord) that would be Christmas for Craig McRae.”
Landing Houston would see the Pies, who missed the 2024 finals as reigning premiers, go chips in with an ageing list. They already surrendered their 2024 first-round pick as part of last year’s Lachie Schultz trade.
Whether it’s Collingwood or Carlton that Houston, 27, calls home in 2025, dual premiership Kangaroo David King suggested it’ll push that club back into true flag contention.
“I think he’s more than a half back flanker, I think he’ll end up playing some on-ball minutes,” King said.
“We’ve seen Hayden Young do that for Fremantle, we’ve seen Craig McRae do this with Nick Daicos … I think you can do that with another weapon (Houston). Do you then slide a Pendlebury down behind the ball and get another 30 games with that experience down back?
“It may not just be plug and play this guy down back. It’s a steal, whoever gets this guy in my opinion is top four bound next year.
“You just can’t get them, can you? Where do you get a player of the calibre? Everyone will say they’re giving up a lot, but are they really?
“We’ve got Tasmania coming in, the draft will be a write off for three years, it’ll be so impacted. You’ve got to win them now.
“You’ve got an experienced team around the mark, an acquisition like this throws you straight back at the top of the pile.”
Lewis also likes Houston’s versatility and thinks he’d be the ideal addition to Craig McRae’s side as it aggressively hunts a second flag in three years.
“It says he’s a general defender, but he’s versatile. You look at the sides at the top-end of the ladder, they’ve got players who can play midfield, halfback or on the wing,” Lewis said.
“Collingwood suits him down to a tee. They understand where they’re at as a club, they understand their list demographic and they understand they’ve probably got one, maybe two years to go to really try lift that cup before maybe the edge is coming.
“I’m a little bit surprised Carlton has pulled out so soon.”
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