Fiery Fremantle Dockers forward and Mandurah football product Hayden Ballantyne has joined superstar teammate Nat Fyfe in exploring trade options in an escalating fallout from a disastrous Dockers season.
Ballantyne has stunned some of this closest connections with confessions he could leave Fremantle at the end of this season, despite having another year to run on his contract.
In a shock development, the feisty pocket-dynamo could even ask to go to bitter rival West Coast to end his AFL playing days.
Fyfe rocked Dockers and AFL circles this week with confirmation that he would seriously consider his future as a free agent at the end of next season as well.
The reigning Brownlow medallist stated strongly that if he was not convinced the Dockers could rebuild their finals and premiership chances rapidly, he would consider moving interstate when he is out of contract at the end of next season.
Fyfe, 24, will be worth in the region of $1.2million a season from his next contract, with Fremantle able to match any rival offers to keep their champion on-baller with counter bids because of his restricted free-agency status.
Ballantyne, 29, is considered a “heart and soul” character around Fremantle as one of the Dockers’ - and the league's – most feisty characters.
Publicly he has appeared to have a healthy relationship with hard-nosed Dockers coach Ross Lyon.
Lyon would not expand on speculation that his tough small forward could leave.
He would not disclose if Ballantyne had advised him of plans to leave.
“We’re back to rumour, innuendo and speculation, I deal in facts,” Lyon said.
“So I haven’t got any facts on that to help.”
Any trade for Ballantyne would generate complicated bargaining for a swap of another player or draft picks.
Dockers management will be desperately chasing a collection of draft picks to trade in triple Hawthorn premiership winger Brad Hill and disgruntled Greater Western Sydney forward Cam McCarthy.
Fremantle is facing real prospects of turning over as many as 15 players at the end of the season after a horrible 2016, following last year’s minor premiership with a club-record 17 home-and-away wins.
Ballantyne is expected to consider a move anywhere in the league to finish his colourful AFL career.
The 138-game 2014 All-Australian has held critical planning discussions with close associates over the past fortnight and has told Lyon of his plans to consider any offers that are made through his management.
Lyon and his advisory staff have put the Dockers' playing roster under heavy review in the wake of a shocking season with just three wins and sitting 16th on the leader after starting the home-and-away campaign as a leading premiership contender.
If Ballantyne continues a search for a new club he will probably be the biggest name around Fremantle to be on the trade as a contracted player.
Forward Chris Mayne, ruckman Zac Clarke and utility Matt de Boer are unrestricted free agents who look likely to move on at the end of the season.
Experienced servants Michael Barlow, Nick Suban, Garrick Ibbotson, Alex Silvagni, Clancee Pearce and Tendai Mzungu are all understood to be in limbo with their futures, as Lyon considers which Dockers will go or stay after a horrid season.
