ZAC’S PACKED

Smith as good as gone in Gold Coast trade

GEELONG and Gold Coast are expected to sign off on a deal today that will send ruckman Zac Smith back to the Suns for the 2020 season.

Smith played 50 games for the Cats across his four years after arriving at the end of the 2015 season, adding to the 65 he played with Gold Coast previously.

The trade, which is all but complete, would leave Geelong with three recognised rucks heading into next season in Rhys Stanley, Ryan Abbott and Darcy Fort.

While the Cats also have Esava Ratugolea and Mark Blicavs on their list, they would prefer to have the freedom of playing those two in attack and defence respectively.

The Cats also have a decision to make on out-of-contract key position player Wylie Buzza, who did not play a senior game in 2019 and is fighting to keep his AFL career alive.

All three recognised rucks in Stanley, Abbott and Fort come out of contract at the end of next season.

Smith’s anticipated departure follows Geelong’s unsuccessful courting of North Melbourne tall Todd Goldstein, who re-signed with the Kangaroos for three years after knocking back a longer deal to join the Cats as a free agent.

Geelong list manager Stephen Wells said recently the club was happy to back in its ruck stocks next year.

“I actually think that too much has been made of our ruck,” Wells said on SEN.

“Rhys Stanley had his best year with the Cats and we think that there’s strong improvement in him … so right now, we’re not talking to any other ruckmen from any other clubs.

“We’re interested in watching how that market goes, but the rucks we have got helped us play some really good footy, particularly earlier in the year.

“Rhys has done a good job against those best ruckmen at times and we’re really looking forward to backing him in in 2020.”

A completed deal for Smith would leave only Buzza and Henderson as the remaining senior-listed players at Geelong whose futures are still up in the air with just two days left of the trade period.