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Preliminary final weekend at the MCG brought a who’s who of the football industry together at the official AFL functions inside the Olympic Room.
While Friday night was a sit-down dinner, the Saturday twilight match (great time slot) saw a more relaxed, stand-up affair. A stand-up function allows one to move through the room and mingle.
So it was a little easier to come across a supposedly chance conversation between Geelong coach Chris Scott and high-profile player manager Robbie D’Orazio.
Robbie D’Orazio, wheeling and dealing.Credit: Stan/Show me the money
Scott was there scouting the Cats’ grand final opponent, while D’Orazio just happens to represent one of the hottest properties in the upcoming trade period, Charlie Curnow.
All parties, of course, say there’s nothing to see here. Just two people chatting at the footy. But that’s also exactly what D’Orazio and Cats football boss Andrew Mackie said this time last year when they were caught red-handed, sharing crinkle-cut chips at Hank’s Bagelry in Armadale.
“I’m just here for the hot chips,” dead-panned D’Orazio at the time. Don’t get me wrong, Hank’s chips are amazing. But it’s the sort of place you’d go to avoid the prying eyes of the football media. When it comes to journalists and football and player movement, we’ve heard of coincidences, we’ve just never seen one.
Hank’s Bagelry (the Chadstone one). Credit: Joe Armao
D’Orazio and Mackie were actually there to discuss the future of Bailey Smith, who was then attempting to plot his way out of the Western Bulldogs and down the highway to Geelong.
Smith may win the Brownlow Medal on Monday night (he’s second favourite with the bookies), and win a flag on Saturday. So, it’s fair to say that move has worked out alright.
Curnow still has four years to run on his contract at Princes Park, but he’s made it abundantly clear he’d like to finish his career somewhere else. Sydney have made their intentions known to the two-time Coleman medallist and Curnow has met with Swans coach Dean Cox, while the Gold Coast have shown some interest, although privately the Suns concede a deal to get him north may be too difficult.
Curnow is looking around. Credit: The Age
So what about the Cats? It would make sense that Curnow would want to play there. His family is from the Surf Coast, his older brother, Ed, is raising his family in Torquay and the Curnows do love the water.
But how on earth would the Cats get a trade get done? Carlton would almost certainly ask for star midfielder Max Holmes to be part of the trade, and Geelong will almost certainly laugh that proposition out of the room. So a stalemate would likely ensue.
Clearly, the Curnow camp is waiting until Geelong’s season is over to work out their next move, meaning there is a sense the Cats could conjure something up to satisfy the Blues. Perhaps a three-way trade, involving another club, could be on the cards?
