Sydney resigned to missing out on Magpie Darcy Moore
While it's been all but confirmed Darcy Moore will stay at Collingwood, Sydney have provided more certainty by saying they have virtually given up hope of luring the versatile forward-defender away from the Pies.
Incoming Swans CEO Tom Harley told SEN on Friday he "can't see" a deal for Moore happening, while giving updates on a host of other players linked to his side.
“There was interest certainly early and we spoke to his manager but it was hard to get a gauge on him throughout the year. There hasn’t been any progress. It looks like he is staying there so I can’t see that happening," Harley said.
Moore has had a contract offer on the table from the Pies since early in the season amid interest from Sydney and Hawthorn.
Fairfax Media reported earlier this week Moore was set to remain a Magpies player.
Harley "categorically" ruled out a move for Gold Coast Sun Steven May and also said they won't try to get Dylan Shiel from the Giants. He provided an update on their pursuits of Aaron vandenBerg (Melbourne), Ryan Clarke (North Melbourne) and Taylor Duryea (Hawthorn).
“It’s not often as a Sydney club that you get a bit of the go-home factor coming your way, it's typically the other way," Harley said.
"We have been open to exploring that and had a conversation with Aaron. We have been liaising with Melbourne around that so if we could facilitate something that would be great. There is a lot of water to pass under the bridge but that is one that we have shown an interest in for sure.”
Duryea - an experienced finals performer - endured an up-and-down season at Hawthorn.
He showed versatility by playing forward and in defence and was brought back into the side for the Hawks' semi-final loss to Melbourne.
“He is obviously a free agent at the Hawks at the moment. We were out of the finals earlier than we have been in the past and we used that opportunity to have a look and talk to a few players. He was one of them. Nothing has progressed at a great speed with that but he certainly has been a player of interest.”
Harley was confident of securing Clarke "early in the trade period".
The former Cats premiership captain also said discussions with St Kilda to secure a trade for Swans' midfielder Dan Hannebery were ongoing.
“We have been in constant dialogue with St Kilda now and they have been pretty vocal in wanting to take their first pick to the draft. They don’t have many picks in the middle range but they do have future picks and players. So we are working our way through that at the minute. It is all pretty open and transparent. We will work with St Kilda to make sure it works best for us.”