Pies’ sneaky Bont play revealed; great blasts ‘irresponsible’ offers for injured Eagle: Trade Whispers

Inside the Pies’ sneaky play for Marcus Bontempelli and the “series of overtures” that were repeatedly turned back.

Plus, why a great believes lucrative contract offers made to West Coast’s oft-injured co-captain are “irresponsible”.

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‘DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME’: PIES’ BONT PLAY KNOCKED BACK

Collingwood has been told “don’t waste your time” in response to enquiries about free-agent Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli, says Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph.

More than halfway through the season, Bontempelli remains without a new contract for 2026 and beyond, and only days ago was it revealed that the club and star midfielder had begun talks on a new deal.

And while Ralph revealed on Fox Footy’s On the Couch that Bontempelli “will certainly stay at the Western Bulldogs”, he said: “But the rumours reached such fever pitch of a link to Collingwood that even the Pies had their heads turned.

“My understanding is, over the past few weeks and months, they (the Pies) have made a series of overtures just to make sure. A series of text messages — ‘are you sure he doesn’t want to come and play at Collingwood and win another premiership there?’

“You could say that the replies back (from the Dogs) have become even more and more forceful — ‘don’t waste your time, he’s staying at the Whitten Oval’.”

The 29-year-old has a history delaying contract talks with the Bulldogs, but entering the second half of the season, persistent speculation has left fans a bit edgy.

The six-time All-Australian was, in a rarity, curtailed in last Thursday’s 12-goal smashing of St Kilda, with Saints tagger Marcus Windhager holding him to just 14 disposals and three clearances.

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‘IRRESPONSIBLE’: GREAT’S CALL ON HEFTY ALLEN OFFERS

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says it’s “irresponsible” to offer Eagles co-captain and free agent Oscar Allen more than a two-to-three-year deal due to his injury history.

The 26-year-old Allen, who suffered a concerning calf tendon injury against Carlton on Sunday, has missed two games this year after managing just 11 last season.

He has long been the subject of movement speculation this year, with Hawthorn and Brisbane thought to be his key suitors.

“Oscar Allen’s contract scenario is almost as saddest story in football. He’s desperate to play for the club that he’s a co-captain of,” Ralph said on Fox Footy.

“He’s desperate for the club to get within a bull’s roar of those offers from clubs like Brisbane — (but) they’re just not interested; they (the Eagles) know that they need that Pick 2 as a free agency compensation selection.

“At the start of the year, he was looking for a deal of about six years at $1 million if he was to move elsewhere. That was probably fair given the market for key-position free agent forwards.”

Allen dealt with a serious knee issue last season, with a report by SEN’s Peter Vlahos late last year stating the knee had ‘degenerated’.

Buckley told On the Couch that — whether it was West Coast or Brisbane or someone else — it was “irresponsible” to be offering Allen a long, high-paying deal given his injury history.

“It’s the years for me,” Buckley said on Fox Footy. “Six (years) at $800,000 ... what’s his year looked like? What’s his past two or three years looked like?

“If you’re going to do six (years) at $800,000, that’s $5 million that you’re committing to in your salary cap.”

The 2003 Brownlow Medallist said that if such a deal was to be offered, there should be an injury stipulation that covers the club in case of unavailability.

“If you don’t play a certain amount of games in the first two years, then the rest of the deal is null and void,” Buckley proposed.

“It would be irresponsible for anyone to offer anything over a two or three-year deal at anything over $700-750,000, at the moment.

“Because the position that Oscar Allen is in is having to prove to his club — whether it’s West Coast or another club that comes for him — that he is robust enough physically.

“It doesn’t matter how good you’ve been or how good you could be, you’ve still got to show that you can actually do the work to get up and about — and right now, he hasn’t.

“If you want to take that risk, you need to understand the downside.”

Allen kicked 20 goals across his 11 games last year after a career-best 53 majors in 2023, when he played all 23 games.

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