Richmond are reportedly set to trade Ivan Soldo to GWS as part of a deal for Jacob Hopper, despite their earlier unwillingness to part with the ruckman.
The Tigers are set to send Soldo, pick 31 and a future first-round pick in order to bring Hopper to Punt Road, alongside a 2022 later round pick, per the Herald Sun.
The ruckman has played 56 games for Richmond since his debut in 2017, 13 of those coming in 2022 where he averaged 7.3 disposals and 14.2 hit-outs per match.
Despite the Tigers reportedly being keen to keep the ruck duo of Soldo and Toby Nankervis intact, the Canberran has completed a medical with the Giants after meeting with the club.
Ruck
Hitouts
Marks
Disposals
Richmond's reluctance to part with Soldo comes as the AFL ponders scrapping the medical sub rule in 2023 and replacing it with a five-man bench, a rule that would give clubs more flexibility to play a second ruckman.
Should the 26-year-old make his way to GWS, he will sit on the list alongside fellow rucks Braydon Preuss, Matt Flynn and Kieren Briggs.
Richmond welcomed Tim Taranto to the club last week, signing a seven-year deal at Punt Road. The Tigers secured the 24-year-old by sending Picks 12 and 19 to the Giants, leaving the NSW side with a haul of picks (3, 12, 15 and 18) in the first round.
