Collingwood · 4 notes
"We get 3 of our 4 deals done, we've improved our list," Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch said after landing Lachie Neale and Jesse Hogan without giving up high picks. Neale is the clearance fix: "we're AFL 17 in that space, so we wanted to fix that instantly."
Jayden Short isn't coming to Collingwood. Justin Leppitsch said a future second-round pick was offered and more discussed, but list spots and the salary cap got tighter once Lachie Neale and Jesse Hogan were locked in: "unfortunately we couldn't appease what Richmond wanted."
Talks with Lachie Neale began close to 12 months ago and with Jesse Hogan around mid-year, Collingwood's Justin Leppitsch said: "This club's got a good history of getting Brownlow medallist in their early 30s in... So we figured we'd do it again."
Why Lachie Neale left for Collingwood, from Brisbane's Dom Ambrogio: "neither side saw the need to enter into a negotiation. It wasn't going to come to a meaningful conclusion." Will McLachlan, wanted by Melbourne and Essendon, is yet to decide; Ambrogio expects to hear soon.