AFL trade news: Snag in Lobb trade, Giants forward linked to negotiations

Will a return to New South Wales transpire for the 28-year-old?

EDITOR | October 8, 2021 - 9:39am

A snag looks to have hit this year's shock trade period storyline, with Rory Lobb's potential return to Greater Western Sydney now looking unlikely.

A report linking the 28-year-old to a move back to the Giants was a twist nobody saw coming, with Lobb reportedly having undergone a medical with the New South Wales club.

The ruck-forward utility has been murmured to be assessing his options this year, however with two years remaining on a reported $700,000-per-season contract, a buyer was looking in doubt.

The Giants' shock emergence as a potential landing spot for Lobb did ignite some belief the Western Australian could find a suitor, but Dockers football boss Peter Bell has since cast some doubt over a potential trade.

Speaking to Sportsday WA on Thursday night, Bell dampened the likelihood of the move after revealing discussions held with Lobb's manager Colin Young.

“Late last night, Colin Young, Rory’s manager, said there’s a possibility that GWS might be interested in Rory,” Bell said.

“I said to Col, ‘he’s contracted, he’s pretty important to us and we want to keep him’.

“We caught up again this morning and Col said, ‘I think there’s going to be an offer coming that we would want to look at’ and I said, ‘look, it’s not something that we’re going to be really interested in, we don’t want to trade Rory’.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 18: Rory Lobb and his Dockers team mates look dejected after losing the round nine AFL match between the Essendon Bombers and the Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium on May 18, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“I understand that an offer came through, and the understanding was with Col that if it was something they wanted to pursue after the offer came through from GWS, then we would do that, but it would have to be something that would satisfy Rory and satisfy us.

“I said, ‘that’s going to be highly unlikely, we’re really keen to keep Rory’ and as it turned out, about half an hour ago, Colin rang me and said, ‘what’s come through (from GWS) doesn’t look like it will get anything done’."

Further intrigue was placed on Lobb's potential exit from the Dockers as Fox Footy's Tom Morris reports that Giants livewire Bobby Hill could be included in a trade that would look to satisfy the Dockers.

Hill, a Perth product, would need to be open to the move, having only joined the Giants in 2018 - the same off-season as Lobb's move to Fremantle.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 19: Bobby Hill (L) of the Giants and Lachie Whitfield of the Giants celebrate victory during the round 14 AFL match between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Carlton Blues at GIANTS Stadium on June 19, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The 21-year-old has shown promising glimpses across his three seasons in charcoal and orange, and would be sure to satisfy the Dockers' trade demands should his name be placed on offer to Fremantle.

The Giants could look to move on Hill in order to land Lobb's services, which would come at a cut-price with Fremantle continuing to pay a portion of his wages.

Both Lobb and Hill remain contracted to their respective clubs, with Hill's tenure at the Giants currently signed until the end of next season.