The Suns have hardened their stance on a star linked to trade talk. Plus a coach has led a shock play for Zach Merrett.

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KING BACKFLIP SETS UP SUNS’ HARD NEW STANCE ON YOUNG GUN

There’s “absolutely no circumstance” that will see Gold Coast trade Bailey Humphrey with Ben King bound for Hawthorn, according to Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph.

The Suns last week locked away Jed Walter on a new three-year deal in a key coup for the struggling club.

However King and Humphrey face uncertain futures amid links to Victoria.

There’s momentum building around King moving to the Hawks in free agency as he weighs up family decisions.

It’s a surprising backflip after after the Coleman Medal leader was expected to sign a two-year extension with Gold Coast earlier this year.

Ralph reports King went so far to tell the club a month ago he was going to stay.

“Ben King told the club a month ago: ‘I am staying. I just need to clear that with my partner’. Now everything has changed there,” Ralph said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“Hawthorn seems his much more likely destination than him staying.”

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With that in mind, the Suns are have hardened their stance that Humphrey, contracted until 2028, won’t be traded.

“The club has hardened its resolve, given it seems Ben is leaving,” Ralph added.

“They are saying there is absolutely no circumstance, no trade package, no player out there that would require them to trade him.

“It’s a very Zach Merrett-like stance. And the club is saying it will not change.”

SCOTT LEADS CATS’ BOLD PLAY FOR MERRETT

Geelong coach Chris Scott has reportedly led the club’s bold play for Bombers star Zach Merrett.

Merrett has again been linked with a move to Hawthorn a year after a failed trade with Essendon, with an expectation that the Bombers would be prepared to deal the ex-skipper this off-season.

According to AFL journalist Tom Morris, Geelong, who’s already circling free agents Zak Butters and Toby Greene, also has its sights on Merrett.

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Morris revealed on Seven’s Agenda Setters that Scott had reached out to Merrett, contracted until 2027, in a bid to lure him to the Cattery.

“In recent days, Geelong has made an unexpected play for former Essendon captain Zach Merrett,” Morris said.

“Now, this comes via their coach, Chris Scott, who I understand texted Zach Merrett directly to say that he’s one of Geelong’s targets at the end of the season, alongside Zak Butters.

“We know that Merrett has another year remaining on his contract. It’s unclear whether Merrett would even consider the Cats.”

Despite this, it’s believed Merrett’s preference remains to head to Hawthorn.

“My belief is Merrett is all chips in on the Hawks. But what it does do, it speaks to the Cats’ ambition that they are willing to potentially have a crack at Merrett, also Butters and also Toby Greene at the end of the season,” he added.

“I think they are highly unlikely to get Merrett, a chance to get Butters and very likely to get Greene.”