Gold Coast have shut down suggestions the club has held discussions with Richmond over a deal that would see Tigers defender Daniel Rioli potentially become a Suns player in exchange for a pair of first-round draft picks.
Rioli, who is contracted until the end of 2027, has been flagged as a reported trade target for the Suns in 2024 as coach Damien Hardwick may be keen to reunite with the three-time premiership player.
Reports this week hinted that the Suns could be willing to part with two of their three first-round picks for this year's draft in a bid to please Richmond and lure Rioli north.
The Suns currently hold Picks 7, 8 and 20 in the opening round for this year's National Draft, holding the Western Bulldogs' first-round selection as well as the final pick on opening night via North Melbourne's assistance package pick.
The latter selection could balloon out to the mid-20s or even close to 30th overall following matched bids for father-son and Academy prospects, while potential free agency compensation could delay the selection further also.
Speaking with SEN on Thursday, Gold Coast football boss Wayne Campbell quashed any theory that the Suns had offered two early selections to the Tigers for Rioli, stating "no discussion" of the sort had been held.
"I've been with the Giants and the Suns where players get talked about when they're in your colours. I think it's a bit unsavoury to talk about players from other clubs, especially when they're contracted for the next couple of years," Campbell said.
"What I can assure you is that we haven't offered Richmond two first-round picks for Daniel Rioli.
"There's been no discussion with Richmond on it."
Any potential move for Rioli would see the Suns tread 'carefully' given his contract status at Punt Road, with Campbell flagging difficulties surrounding plays for rival players who are still under a contract for the coming years.
Quizzed on whether clubs have any issues with clubs meeting with players during the season, the Richmond great said it's been a common strategy in list planning for some time.
"It's been going on forever, hasn't it?" Campbell added. "You try and keep it a secret.
"Our players have been spoken to by other clubs during the season and we've spoken to other players during the season.
"I think when players are contracted a long way out you want to be careful because it can cause trouble. If they're in the last year of their contract and they're really keen to come, then you do need to start the process a little bit early.
"You need to get them in front of the coach, you might need to get them through the facility if they want to have a look, which has happened many times."
Rioli has played 174 games for Richmond since debuting in 2016, starting his career as a small forward in the Tigers' premiership years before moving to defence under Hardwick where he has since flourished.
The 27-year-old earned All-Australian squad honours in his first year at half-back in 2022 and finished runner-up in Richmond's best and fairest count the same year.
