Richmond reportedly holds the key to Hawthorn’s bid to secure Suns forward Mabior Chol.
Plus Melbourne’s new recruit who won’t be “Grundy 2.0” – although he has arrived to take the big man’s place.
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Hawthorn is close to completing a deal with Richmond that will help the Hawks land former Tiger Mabior Chol from the Gold Coast.
The Hawks won the race to secure Chol earlier this month, when the big forward informed the Suns he wanted a trade with Waverley.
Chol had fallen out of favor under coach Stuart Dew, managing just eight games this season as he bided his time in the VFL due to the return of youngster Ben King.
While Dew was given his marching orders midway through the season, the man who will take over, Damien Hardwick, is Chol’s former coach at Richmond.
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Chol had left the Tigers in 2021 in search of more opportunities.
Now his former club Richmond holds the key to landing him at Hawthorn, according to 7NEWS’ Mitch Cleary.
Cleary believes Hawk Jacob Koschitzke will play a role in moving to Richmond as part of the Chol deal.
“The Hawks are prioritizing a deal for Mabior Chol,” he said on Saturday.
“The deal will likely be a three-way swap involving Richmond.
“This would see the Tigers give up a pick to the Hawks for Koschitzke, who will trade him to the Gold Coast Suns for Chol.”
Gold Coast have already rebuffed the Hawks‘ first offer for Chol – who would be a future third-rounder with a later pick in return.
According to the Herald Sun, the Hawks “optimistically” asked the Tigers for a top-25 pick for Koschitzke.
Richmond currently holds picks 29, 50 and 68 due to deals made for Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto last season.
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The Hawks are also still considering a deal for club big Jack Gunston who last week told the Lions he wanted to be traded to Hawthorn after just one season.
Cleary reports that the Lions have requested a trade for Brandon Ryan in exchange for Gunston.
WHY THE NEW RECRUIT WILL NOT BE “GRUNDY 2.0”
Brisbane’s Tom Fullarton has officially arrived in Melbourne after a late deal was completed on Friday.
Fullarton, a former Brisbane basketball player, is heading to the Dees in exchange for what is currently pick 47.
The Demons were looking for a backup ruck after the trade gamble on Brodie Grundy failed to pay off and the two-time All-Australian left for Sydney this week.
Fox Footy’s Nick Dal Santo said Fullarton had “limited opportunities” during his five seasons with the Lions.
But he expected the big man to get more game time in Melbourne as a backup to skipper Max Gawn.
“That (Melbourne) forward line – about 70 in the 50 seconds in one of those finals. He’s getting there but the connection with that forward line isn’t working,” he said on Fox Footy. Trading day.
“If they can get that piece just to support Max during that little break he needs every game, then it could be that young guy.”
Leigh Montagna said he could see “similarities” between Fullarton and Demon premiership Luke Jackson, who left the club on a big contract to return home to Fremantle at the end of 2022.
“There are some similarities to the way he plays like Luke Jackson – he’s more of an athletic type, good size,” he praised.
“I still have quite a bit of work to do. But I love this.”
Fox Footy’s David Zita said Melbourne did not expect Fullarton to be a like-for-like replacement for Grundy – who only lasted one season at the club.
“The Dees insisted he wasn’t Brodie Grundy,” he said.
“He has a few more advanced skills in his arsenal to play with.
“We don’t expect him to be Brodie Grundy 2.0.”
