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Saw this in the Melbourne papers this morning. Is he worth pursuing, if we re-arrange our ruck stocks?
* * * *
Swan may head south next winter
Stephen Rielly | September 6, 2007
SYDNEY ruckman Darren Jolly may play his last game for the Swans this weekend, with the lure of a return to Victoria said to be tempting him away from the SCG.
The 25-year-old, who will split Sydney's centre-square responsibilities with Peter Everitt in Saturday night's elimination final against Collingwood, is out of contract at the end of the season and is understood to be contemplating a return to Melbourne to resettle his wife and infant daughter closer to family.
Sydney general manager of football Andrew Ireland is to meet Jolly's manager, Michael Quinlan, tomorrow in the hope of further negotiations but said he was aware of Jolly's "circumstances".
"Darren has not conveyed that (his departure) to us at this point," Ireland said. "We're having discussions with his management and we certainly understand his circumstances, but we're hopeful of retaining him. He's definitely required."
Originally from regional Victoria, Jolly started his career with Melbourne seven seasons ago as a promoted rookie. Four years later, at the end of 2004, he was traded north for Sydney's first-round pick, selection 15, with which the Demons selected Lynden Dunn.
It is understood that as many as six clubs have expressed interest in acquiring Jolly, who played in Sydney's drought-breaking 2005 premiership in his first year with the club.
The Western Bulldogs, Carlton, St Kilda, Melbourne, Richmond and Collingwood are all in the market for ruckmen in a year that isn't offering many opportunities to recruit one through the draft.
It is understood that Adelaide is prepared to release John Meesen in a trade and Brisbane Lion Cameron Wood, who is contracted for next year, is also likely to make a move given Jamie Charman's hold on the first ruck position with the Lions, Matthew Leuenberger's emergence this year and the fact Beau McDonald is contracted for another season.
Both Meesen and Wood, though, are inexperienced and some way from fulfilling front-line duties. Jolly is not.
Meanwhile, Hawthorn key forward Mitch Thorp, 18, had his second hip operation of the year yesterday and is likely to have a slow start to his 2008 pre-season.
Thorp had cartilage trimmed from his hip before his first season with the Hawks began but required what the club described as "bony surfaces" shaved from the joint yesterday.
The nature of the second operation was preferred to a more serious measure, a realignment of his hips.
"There was the suggestion of a surgical realignment of his hips but we've decided against that," said Hawthorn football operations manager, Mark Evans, who added that Thorp was likely to take a number of months to recover fully.
"The first one involved a six- or seven-week recovery," Evans said.
"This one might be slightly longer than that, but we're not expecting the surgery to seriously disrupt his pre-season, although it's fair to say he will start on a modified program."
* * * *
Swan may head south next winter
Stephen Rielly | September 6, 2007
SYDNEY ruckman Darren Jolly may play his last game for the Swans this weekend, with the lure of a return to Victoria said to be tempting him away from the SCG.
The 25-year-old, who will split Sydney's centre-square responsibilities with Peter Everitt in Saturday night's elimination final against Collingwood, is out of contract at the end of the season and is understood to be contemplating a return to Melbourne to resettle his wife and infant daughter closer to family.
Sydney general manager of football Andrew Ireland is to meet Jolly's manager, Michael Quinlan, tomorrow in the hope of further negotiations but said he was aware of Jolly's "circumstances".
"Darren has not conveyed that (his departure) to us at this point," Ireland said. "We're having discussions with his management and we certainly understand his circumstances, but we're hopeful of retaining him. He's definitely required."
Originally from regional Victoria, Jolly started his career with Melbourne seven seasons ago as a promoted rookie. Four years later, at the end of 2004, he was traded north for Sydney's first-round pick, selection 15, with which the Demons selected Lynden Dunn.
It is understood that as many as six clubs have expressed interest in acquiring Jolly, who played in Sydney's drought-breaking 2005 premiership in his first year with the club.
The Western Bulldogs, Carlton, St Kilda, Melbourne, Richmond and Collingwood are all in the market for ruckmen in a year that isn't offering many opportunities to recruit one through the draft.
It is understood that Adelaide is prepared to release John Meesen in a trade and Brisbane Lion Cameron Wood, who is contracted for next year, is also likely to make a move given Jamie Charman's hold on the first ruck position with the Lions, Matthew Leuenberger's emergence this year and the fact Beau McDonald is contracted for another season.
Both Meesen and Wood, though, are inexperienced and some way from fulfilling front-line duties. Jolly is not.
Meanwhile, Hawthorn key forward Mitch Thorp, 18, had his second hip operation of the year yesterday and is likely to have a slow start to his 2008 pre-season.
Thorp had cartilage trimmed from his hip before his first season with the Hawks began but required what the club described as "bony surfaces" shaved from the joint yesterday.
The nature of the second operation was preferred to a more serious measure, a realignment of his hips.
"There was the suggestion of a surgical realignment of his hips but we've decided against that," said Hawthorn football operations manager, Mark Evans, who added that Thorp was likely to take a number of months to recover fully.
"The first one involved a six- or seven-week recovery," Evans said.
"This one might be slightly longer than that, but we're not expecting the surgery to seriously disrupt his pre-season, although it's fair to say he will start on a modified program."
