'Boiling point': Tensions peak amid Geelong player's trade bid
Tensions between Geelong and youngster Jordan Clark have reportedly reached 'boiling point' as the 20-year-old's bid to be traded to Fremantle reaches a stalemate.
Clark sought a trade back to Western Australia following the 2021 season soon after the trade period began - but discussions on a deal have been stagnant.
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This has created tension between the Cats and the young midfielder, who is contracted until the end of next season.
Clark has reportedly become frustrated by the stalled trade talks, and is believed to have let the club know of his disappointment no deal has been done as of yet.
According to SEN's Sam Edmund, Clark and Geelong football manager Stephen Wells had a 'heated phone conversation' which resulted in the young player hanging up.
“Clark told Wells in no uncertain terms, ‘I want this deal done, I’m not coming back. I’m desperate to get to Fremantle. Please make this happen’" Edmund said.
“Things are reaching boiling point between Geelong and Fremantle”.
Fremantle reportedly have a four-year contract on the table for Clark, should a trade be agreed to.
The two teams are at loggerheads over the trade compensation for Clark, with Fremantle wanting the Cats' pick 19 in the upcoming AFL draft, while Geelong is only willing to relinquish pick 22.
A first round pick back in 2018, Clark played 18 games in his rookie season before struggling for opportunities in 2020 and 2021.
.@Sammy__Edmund takes us inside a very heated phone conversation between Geelong's list manager Stephen Wells and Jordan Clark. pic.twitter.com/VHwDCfzxQ9
— SEN SA 1629 (@1629senSA) October 13, 2021
"I'm comfortable with it, I wouldn't have done the story otherwise. But I grant that the player wouldn't be happy with it coming out in the public space."
- Sam Edmund on his report of Jordan Clark hanging up on Stephen Wells#AFLTrade— AFL Trade Radio (@traderadio) October 13, 2021
"The awful situation for (Clark) personally is that he has to go back, where relationships are strained and frayed and play another year at Geelong," Edmund said.
"Fremantle have offered him a four-year deal - they have poured a mountain of work into getting Jordan Clark across and back home into WA.
"You would think, and this is what people close to Jordan and Geelong are hoping, that Fremantle are the ones that blink first, but maybe it won't be the case."
Swans grudgingly accept Dawson AFL trade
Sydney have finalised the Jordan Dawson AFL trade through gritted teeth, saying the deal with Adelaide doesn't reflect the player's true value.
But given the Crows had threatened to use the pre-season draft to secure the utility, the Swans were left with little choice.
Adelaide gave up a future first-round draft pick, tied to Melbourne, to secure the services of Dawson.
The Swans are unhappy to lose the 24-year-old, with football manager Charlie Gardiner saying they rated him as highly as any player mentioned during the trade period.
"We worked extremely hard to reach a fair outcome in regard to Jordan, despite challenging circumstances," Gardiner said in a club statement.
"Ultimately, we have settled on a deal that we don't think quite reflects Jordan's true value but is one that, after extensive negotiations, we don't believe we could improve upon.
"After strong consideration, we believed it to be in the best interests of the club to accept the deal available and move forward."
Dawson, who played 64 games for the Swans, wanted to return to SA for family reasons.
He enjoyed a career-best season in 2021 to finish third in the Swans' best-and-fairest.
The Swans offered him a five-year deal to remain in the harbour city but Dawson was set on playing for the club he supported growing up.
With AAP
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