Markov to the Suns but forget Treloar
RICHMOND will trade running defender Oleg Markov to Gold Coast for a thirdround pick or later as the Suns all but ruled out a trade with Collingwood’s Adam Treloar.
Markov will move to the Suns on a two-year deal, with the Tigers keen to keep him as Bachar Houli’s replacement but letting him go for more opportunities.
The Suns also secured free agent Rory Atkins on a fourseason deal with a fifth-year trigger, with Adelaide receiving an end-of-second-round
compensation selection. The Tigers on Friday re-signed Marlion Pickett, Jake Artz and Nathan Broad on twoyear deals.
Broad had at one stage been in Gold Coast’s sights but in the end was happy to stay at Richmond.
Markov never played more than eight games in a season for the Tigers but was pushed out of the senior team this year after six matches.
Richmond could also lose Jack Higgins to a rival like St Kilda or Carlton, with the season’s premiership team always vulnerable to raids from opposition clubs.
Pickett has been one of footy’s most incredible stories after two premierships in 20 AFL games, with list manager Blair Hartley hailing the trio of signatures.
“The premierships have been a fantastic reward for Nathan and Marlion, and Jake is another who had a terrific season and significant impact this year.
“We are thrilled to have them commit to the club and look forward to seeing what more they can help us achieve.”
It would take Collingwood to suddenly decide it was prepared to pay a significant
amount of Treloar’s five-year deal across the life of the contract for the Suns to reconsider. And Treloar would need to actually want to come to the club, having made it clear he wants to stay in Melbourne.
Even then the Suns are likely to baulk at a deal, desperate to retain cap room for their young stars and aware of Treloar’s injury history.
They believe if they were to absorb that kind of cap space they would have had to plan for months for his acquisition.
Collingwood has not at this stage even indicated it would be prepared to pay
much of Treloar’s contract at another club.
Rival clubs remain confused by how Treloar resigned only last year on a fiveseason deal that has an average wage of $900,000 and rises well above $1 million in the final seasons.
Gold Coast will more likely use its No.5 selection in the national draft if another suitable target does not come along and potentially trade its later picks.
With picks 24 and 33, it could trade them with a club like North Melbourne for an earlier pick or even swap forward into next year’s draft.