North Melbourne has been urged to do the unthinkable and weigh up what a trade deal for prized No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis might look like amid his contract stalemate.
Despite being just months into his Kangaroos career, there are already doubts about where Horne-Francis will play even as soon as next season after he put contract negotiations with the club on hold earlier this season.
With rival clubs hovering, namely in Horne-Francis’ home state of South Australia, Craig Hutchison, the host of Nine’s Footy Classified, said it was an opportunity for the Kangaroos to be “brave and bold”.
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“Don’t fear his exit, be proactive and understand what it could look like,” he said.
“At least you’re armed with the information by going and exploring what a deal might look like at the end of this year. You can always say no. Explore the previous offers.
“He’s got the most currency now while he’s still contracted, and you’ve got a year to mop it up anyway if he doesn’t go or you don’t get a good enough offer. History says you get way overpaid in these situations.
“Everyone fears the reputational risk… just embrace that because people get past it. (Ryan) Griffin left the Bulldogs and they won a flag, Leigh Colbert left Geelong and they rebuilt. The reputational risk fades quickly and the opportunity might be overwhelming.
“He doesn’t look yet emotionally invested in where they’re going. If he was chips-in, he would be signing early.”
Hutchison’s suggestion was backed by Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes, who said such a move was “worth considering”, but The Age’s Sam McClure disagreed.
“You can’t be serious,” he told Footy Classified in response to Hutchison.
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“They’re 11 rounds in, their greatest-ever player, Wayne Carey, saying the club is broken, and you want to trade a guy that’s got a year left on his contract as a No.1 pick. They would picket outside Arden Street if they did that.
“He might already be their best player. He’s been touted as the future captain of the football club, surely you go the other way and offer him $750,000 a year for another four years and make him your highest-paid player.
“It sends a shocking message to your members if you trade the No.1 pick.”