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BLUES\u2019 BIG FREE AGENT PLAY REVEALED<\/p>\n
The Blues have emerged as a player for unrestricted free agent Joel Amartey, as he and the Swans remain \u201cvery far apart\u201d on a new deal. <\/p>\n
As revealed On the Couch by Midweek Tackle\u2019s Jon Ralph, the Blues have registered significant interest in the key forward, who\u2019s played every game this year for 21 goals. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe greatest challenge for Carlton is to exit Michael Voss with all the respect that he deserves, but also finding a coach before the finals campaign starts,\u201d Ralph began on Fox Footy. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat would give Carlton all the time it needs for massive list calls like Patrick Cripps, Harry McKay and also chase the likes of Joel Amartey, who, I can tell you tonight, they are very keen on. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Blues have made that approach. Right now, he and (Sydney) are very far apart in regards to contract length and money – and it might be that it\u2019s a bridge too far. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would you come to Carlton? But if you\u2019ve got a new coach in place by September 1, you can make that pitch and show your vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amartey, who\u2019ll be 27 years of age next season, was a Sandringham Dragons product before being drafted to Sydney in the 2017 rookie draft. <\/p>\n
Mitch McGovern currently leads Carlton\u2019s goalkicking with 19.6 through nine games. Harry McKay sits third with 11 majors, behind Brodie Kemp\u2019s 14. <\/p>\n
PIES MAKE CALL ON KING CHASE<\/p>\n
The Magpies are moving on from in-demand Gold Coast free agent Ben King. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s according to Seven\u2019s Mitch Cleary, who reports on Monday night the belief in clubland is that King will put pen to paper on a two-year Suns extension – taking the Victorian to unrestricted free agency in 2028. <\/p>\n
Collingwood had been one of several clubs hoping the 25-year-old would seek a fresh start in his home state, with Craig McRae\u2019s side this year one of the competition\u2019s most offensively-challenged – sitting <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Pies have been among the clubs closely linked with the Coleman Medal leader, but tonight are moving on, and putting their energy into other targets,\u201d Cleary said. <\/p>\n
\u201cLike several other Victorian clubs, they sense King is on the verge of signing a new two-year deal with the Suns. <\/p>\n
\u201cCollingwood are chasing a key forward – Jed Walter remains unsigned, so too Hawthorn\u2019s Mitch Lewis, who\u2019s yet to commence contract talks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walter remains on the outer at Gold Coast, with coach Damien Hardwick continuing with King, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Ethan Read as his optimal tall combination in the forward half. <\/p>\n
As for Lewis at the Hawks, Cleary flagged in late April that Collingwood could shift its interest to Lewis if it wound up that King recommitted at Carrara. <\/p>\n
KING\u2019S REVEAL OVER \u2018PLAYED-OUT\u2019 BUTTERS RACE<\/p>\n
Melbourne coach Steven King says Zak Butters\u2019 free agency call \u201cplayed out a year or so in advance already\u201d. <\/p>\n
Speaking on SEN on Monday, King seemed resigned to the reality that his club wasn\u2019t genuinely in the running for the Victorian\u2019s services. <\/p>\n
It comes as the Western Bulldogs and Geelong shape as the overwhelming frontrunners when Butters makes up his mind later in the year. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d be like every club that\u2019d love him, but from what you hear, I think it\u2019s down to a couple, and we might not be part of that discussion,\u201d King admitted on Monday morning. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re certainly doing work behind the scenes to let him know that we\u2019re an option.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s probably been played out for a year or so in advance already.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Carlton has made an \u201capproach\u201d for one of this year\u2019s in-demand free agents. Plus, Collingwood is reportedly shifting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":663830,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[64,63,689,11295,3239,9124,10133,2362,10143,14385,320658,2105,2485,35808,681,320661,51239,320660,3257,12937,12182,25556,677,7800,701,110614,85,320662,11236,320659,12920,698,23510],"class_list":["post-663829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-ben-king","tag-carlton-blues","tag-chris-hyde","tag-collingwood-magpies","tag-contract-talks","tag-craig-mcrae","tag-damien-hardwick","tag-finals-campaign-starts","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-gold-coast","tag-home-state","tag-jon-ralph","tag-king-reveal","tag-list-calls","tag-massive-list-calls","tag-michael-voss","tag-mitch-cleary","tag-mitch-lewis","tag-mitch-mcgovern","tag-oceania","tag-patrick-cripps","tag-queensland","tag-rookie-draft","tag-sports","tag-telling-reveal","tag-trade-news","tag-trade-pivot","tag-trade-whispers","tag-western-bulldogs","tag-zak-butters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=663829"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663829\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/663830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=663829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=663829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=663829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}