Finding spot for Coleman-Jones a tall order for Hardwick
DAMIEN Hardwick admits the Tigers will have to ward off rival suitors for Callum Coleman-Jones as he desperately tries to find his frustrated ruck-forward a spot in his side.
Coleman-Jones has rival clubs keen, with GWS a constant suitor after twice attempting to prize him away.
The exciting key tall has had an excellent VFL season but has not cracked it for an AFL game after serving a 10week AFL ban for COVID-19 issues in Queensland last year.
Asked about rivals hunting Coleman-Jones, the No. 20 pick in the 2017 national draft, Tigers coach Hardwck agreed the suitors would come hard.
“Yeah, I would too. We think he’s an incredible player.
He is just one of the guys with the structure of our side, I shouldn’t say he doesn’t fit in but we have gone down another avenue at this stage.
“I sat down with him this week and told him how well he was going. He has had a really, really good year at VFL level and we would love him to get a game, he’s just not quite in the mix with the way we are playing at the moment. It’s not to say that won’t change moving forward, but he’s doing all he can do, it’s just up to me to get him in the side.”
The Tigers continue to play only one ruckman in Toby Nankervis, and two key talls in Tom Lynch and Jack
Riewoldt. Riewoldt is in talks on a contract for 2021 and Ivan Soldo should return from a knee reconstruction in 2022 so Hardwick knows ColemanJones will have to weigh opportunity with his love of Punt Road.
“It is a tough balance, but he knows how important he is to us but he also craves opportunity. As much as we say we would love to get him in the side it’s my job to figure out how it happens.”