Collingwood gun Josh Daicos has signalled he'll do what he can to potentially try and lure off-contract Western Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith to the black and white this year.
Smith is unsigned beyond 2024 and looms as an intriguing name to follow, with an ACL rupture forcing the 23-year-old to miss the coming season in what will be a critical year for the star Bulldog.
The former top 10 draft selection gained reported interest from Geelong and Hawthorn last year as a potential trade piece before confirming plans to see out the final year of his current deal.
Those same clubs are likely to come calling in 2024, while more rivals are also set to express some level of interest if he remains without a deal for 2025.
Among them could be Collingwood, with Smith's close friends and business partners in Josh and Nick Daicos potentially having a role in luring the star Dog to Olympic Park.
Speaking to 7 News, the older Daicos said "we'll try our best" to get Smith to consider a move to the Magpies.
"We've been trying," Josh laughed when asked about his potential plans to lure Smith to Collingwood.
"I think as players it's natural to do that. He's such a skilful and gun player, so wherever he goes we'll try our best to get him over to the Pies."
The Magpies are keen to make a splash in the 2024 off-season as they look to remain in premiership contention for the years to come.
Addressing members at the club's annual general meeting last December, Collingwood president Jeff Browne said his club will be "front of the queue" for the best available talent.
"One of the things that has occurred in the time that this new board has been elected is we have rectified our salary cap problem," he said.
"We are in good shape for managing the salary cap well under the expert eye of Graham Wright. Last year we actually traded four players into our side and three of them played in the grand final and were instrumental in our win.
"We are looking at all those opportunities (that will come next year) and if a player comes up that meets our needs, we will be at the front of the queue. And I know we will get a good hearing because we are a place where people want to come and play football."
Smith is joined by teammates Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Tim English, as well as Gold Coast's Ben King and Brisbane's Hugh McCluaggage, in being among the best players still without deals for next year.
