In the latest off-season twist, it has been reported on Thursday afternoon that Fremantle forward Rory Lobb's name has been mooted for a move back to the Greater Western Sydney Giants.
According to Marc McGowan ofย The Herald Sun,ย the 28-year-old double-threat has already undergone a medical with the Giants in an attempt to shift back to the club where his AFL career commenced in 2014.
Though McGowan has claimed there is interest from all three parties, an exchange is still a way off as the Swan Districts product remains contracted to Fremantle for a further two-seasons.
Should the Dockers wish to push Lobb out of the door they were once ecstatic to welcome him through, they will almost certainly have to pay a portion of his hefty deal.
Reports of this previous agreement with the Cockburn club have Lobb set to earn in the vicinity of $700,000 per annum, as stated by Damian Barrett via Twitter.
"Lobb's on about $700,000 a year, I think Coniglio's on a lot more than that. It might be $900,000."
- Damian Barrett #AFLTrade
— AFL Trade Radio (@traderadio) October 7, 2021
However, according to Perth-based journalist Ryan Daniels, a trip back across the nation would see Lobb earn less than this, but he would do so on an extended four-year deal.
Lobb's contract - in the $700k range - has two years to run but would likely be extended by GWS to four years, on less money.
— Ryan Daniels (@FootyRhino) October 7, 2021
McGowan also stated that the Giants' draft hand could see the proposal come unstick given that after their pair of first round selections (2 and 13), the side from Sydney's west won't re-enter the fray until pick 53.
Given this chasmic gap, GWS may be forced to package either future picks or players to land the 206cm ruckman-come-forward.
If a deal is struck, Lobb will fit straight into the void left by his former teammate Jeremy Finlayson who joined Port Adelaide on Wednesday.ย
Lobb played 74 games and kicked 64 goals in an orange guernsey, but after citing a desire to return to his state of origin at the cessation of the 2018 season, the tattooed forward was shipped off to the Dockers.
The Perth-born Lobb was packaged up with picks 14, 43 and 47 by the Giants during their initial deal during 2018, with the GWS then receiving the 11th and 19th selections in return.
These later two choices were used on Jye Caldwell and Xavier O'Halloran.
Should a homecoming of sorts be on the cards, Lobb would become the latest in a long line of Fremantle 'boomerang players' since the club's debut season in 1995.
