Carlton's Mitch McGovern has been linked to rumours circulating about his time at the Blues, with his brother Jeremy admitting on a podcast the potential to reunite whilst weighing up his footballing future.
The off-contract pair both enter 2023 with a sense of the unknown attached to their time at their respective clubs, with the 28-year-old Mitch coming to the end of a five-year deal worth an estimated $800,000 per season.
Jeremy on the other hand will be sounded out by many rival clubs looking to swoop on the prized free agent, as the Eagles' salary cap will be tested in keeping their star intercept defender.
The two WA-born backmen will be a hotly debated topic of conversation as the year grows longer and the out-of-contract headlines linger, with their management team hoping to sort it out quickly.
Colin Young and Andrew McDougall, of Corporate Sports Australia, told The Age they both have a big decision to make regarding the potential of a one-club pairing being on the cards.
โThat could be quite interesting. We'll wait and see,โ McDougall said.
โMitch is out of contract. He has got a year to run. He is really enjoying it at Carlton and has settled in really well, but he is only 28, so it will be interesting to see how this year plays out.
โโVossy' [Blues coach Michael Voss] really likes him, he knows he is a great player, standing up in the back line.โ
The older McGovern has previously flagged a desire to recruit his brother to the Eagles, telling the BackChat podcast, hosted by former Eagles defender Will Schofield, last year of his attempts in luring his younger brother back to his home state.
โI was always in his ear to come over (to West Coast) and I think he was always pretty keen to come back,โ McGovern said.ย
โWe want to play together ... circumstances and the way it works out it's very hard to do that. If we could just choose it'd be great but there are a lot of other things at play."
โHe was considering going there (to Fremantle), he asked me if I'd consider it and I was going through all my contract stuff and I said โmate, if I could play with you I'd consider it. But stuff that, come to West Coast was pretty much the motto'.
โI'd love to play with him for sure.โ
When quizzed on the outcome of the pair linking up together, Young referred to the thought as a 'Cinderalla story'.
โI am not saying it. Jeremy said it on a podcast," Young said.
"It would be ideal if they did [play together] one day โ but sometimes Cinderella stories don't work."