Collingwood coach Craig McRae confirms 'first date' with Jack Silvagni as Blues star considers switch
Silvagni, who is a third-generation Carlton player, appears likely to leave the Blues as a free agent at the end of the season, with the Magpies leading the race after their coach's "first date" with the defender.
Asked if he had met with Silvagni, McRae said: "Yeah I did. And I'm confident to say we'll keep exploring what the best version of us looks like, and when there's free agents available we'll keep exploring those things."
Asked if he felt Collingwood was a chance to get Silvagni, McRae stressed that was the role of list manager Justin Leppitsch and football boss Charlie Gardiner.
"I just met with a young man and … we had a first date to see if we like each other," McRae said.
"Yeah, I could go on a second date with Jack."
Collingwood has reportedly put a four-year deal in front of Silvagni, 27, who has shone as a key back this year on his return from an ACL tear, but is currently sidelined with a groin injury.
He is the son of Blues great Stephen Silvagni, who played 312 games for Carlton, and the grandson of Sergio Silvagni, who made 239 appearances for the club.
Jack has played 128 times for Carlton since he was selected as a father-son draft pick in 2015 and his departure would be a hammer blow to the Blues faithful.
Collingwood is keen to build its defensive depth, after Nathan Murphy's concussion-forced retirement last year was compounded by Reef McInnes suffering an ACL tear early this season.
Dan McStay has been training as a defender while Billy Frampton is in contention to return, with Jeremy Howe still injured.
Skipper Darcy Moore (back) did not train on Wednesday, but McRae said he "should be fine" to face reigning premiers Brisbane on Saturday at the MCG, while Scott Pendlebury is set to return.
Collingwood is weighing up whether to bring back Bobby Hill, who kicked three goals in the VFL in his return from personal leave, and Jordan De Goey, who had 19 disposals on limited minutes.
"In the ideal world, they probably do both need a little bit more [match minutes]," McRae said.
"But we just weigh up what the team needs this week, and then what's best for those guys longer term.
"Are they fit and available to perform at a level that we'd like this week?"
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
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Magpies flag changes for massive Hawks clash
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Despite losing top spot with the defeat to Brisbane, McRae remained upbeat about his team's build-up to the finals. "We did a lot right and then there are little parts of our game that we're getting feedback around," he said. "We just have to keep tidying up. "I'd much rather get those lessons learned now - or the feedback now - than in three or four weeks' time ... 'Here we are, fighting for our lives'. "There are little things that we can look at straight away and go, 'We can fix that - we can fix that'. McRae was asked if he had had any more contact with Carlton defender Jack Silvagni. After saying last week he had met with Silvagni, who is about to come out of contract, McRae did not want to add to the issue. "I will leave that alone - I think I've said enough," he said. Meanwhile, captain James Sicily's return to form looms as a massive factor for Hawthorn against the Magpies. AFL commentator and former Magpies coach Nathan Buckley noted Harris Andrews was a major headache for Collingwood last Saturday night as the star Brisbane defender repeatedly thwarted their long kicks into attack. Sicily can have a similar impact to Andrews at the MCG. "They just couldn't score off their long-down-the-lines (kicks). They usually score two in three. Harris Andrews absolutely controlled that aspect of the game," Buckley told Fox Footy's On The Couch. "If you have a player who can control that aspect against Collingwood, you're going to be well-and-truly in the match." Key defender Jeremy Howe will make a welcome return for Collingwood in Thursday night's AFL blockbuster against Hawthorn. But small forward Bobby Hill, who returned from several games out in last week's loss to Brisbane, could be an absentee again because of illness. Coach Craig McRae said another tall backman, Billy Frampton, was also closing on a return after strong VFL form. The Magpies have lost three of their past four games and Howe has been sidelined since round 19 with a groin injury. Frampton has recovered from a calf injury. "Jeremy will definitely play, he got through (training) today well," McRae said. "Billy's name will come up into consideration, yep. I loved his game (in) the VFL, really enjoyed that. He performed well. "He'll put some question marks at match committee around his magnet." McRae added Hill, the 2023 Norm Smith Medallist, had gastro. "It's a bugger," he said. "He may be in doubt. We'll have to see how he goes in the next 24 hours." Despite losing top spot with the defeat to Brisbane, McRae remained upbeat about his team's build-up to the finals. "We did a lot right and then there are little parts of our game that we're getting feedback around," he said. "We just have to keep tidying up. "I'd much rather get those lessons learned now - or the feedback now - than in three or four weeks' time ... 'Here we are, fighting for our lives'. "There are little things that we can look at straight away and go, 'We can fix that - we can fix that'. McRae was asked if he had had any more contact with Carlton defender Jack Silvagni. After saying last week he had met with Silvagni, who is about to come out of contract, McRae did not want to add to the issue. "I will leave that alone - I think I've said enough," he said. Meanwhile, captain James Sicily's return to form looms as a massive factor for Hawthorn against the Magpies. AFL commentator and former Magpies coach Nathan Buckley noted Harris Andrews was a major headache for Collingwood last Saturday night as the star Brisbane defender repeatedly thwarted their long kicks into attack. Sicily can have a similar impact to Andrews at the MCG. "They just couldn't score off their long-down-the-lines (kicks). They usually score two in three. Harris Andrews absolutely controlled that aspect of the game," Buckley told Fox Footy's On The Couch. 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7NEWS
5 hours ago
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7NEWS
6 hours ago
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Fresh vision emerges of Carlton coach Michael Voss and new Blues chief Graham Wright
Embattled Carlton coach Michael Voss has been spotted having an eye-catching meeting with the Blues incoming CEO Graham Wright. The vision emerged on Tuesday, the same day Melbourne's coach Simon Goodwin was sacked. Speculation has been rife this year that Carlton might also take action on Voss with Blues having a disastrous season and missing out on finals. 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary unearthed the vision on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday. 'We've seen today Graham Wright having a coffee with Michael Voss,' Cleary said. 'So this is quite interesting today. (They were) spotted in Richmond this morning (on Tuesday). 'There, you can see Graham Wright on the left with Michael Voss in the cap and the hoodie. 'The club tells me that these conversations have been going on weekly for the last five or six weeks, and that dates back to (president) Rob Priestley coming out and saying that they will put the call off on Michael Voss's future until the end of the year. 'But clearly this is reaching a pointy end.' Cleary said it was unclear if Voss would remain in the job but believed the position of the club's football boss Brad Lloyd was 'well and truly under threat'. Asked if he thought the coffee catch-up was a 'good sign' for Voss, Cleary thought it was not definitive. 'I don't think it's a bad sign, is it?' Cleary said. 'The fact that he's having the (catch-ups over the) last five weeks ... it's the players' day off today, it's off-site.' Wright, however, has a reputation for being an agent of change and veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said she still feared for Voss's future. 'I just keep remembering the way (Wright) so subtly and cleverly and, in a way, quite politely, indicated to Nathan Buckley that maybe his time was up (at Collingwood),' Wilson said. Cleary said the Goodwin sacking could 'hasten the situation'. 'Both clubs could be in the market (for a new coach) by the end of the year.'
