Geelong has reportedly put forward a four-year offer to Hawthorn's James Worpel in a bid to lure him down the highway.
Worpel has been heavily linked with a move to the Cats since he entered the AFL, after captaining the Geelong Falcons during his draft year.
It is understood that Geelong's offer matches that of the Hawks in terms of length, according to the Herald Sun's Jay Clark.
It comes as no surprise, given Chris Scott is looking to bolster its inside midfield stocks, with Patrick Dangerfield spending more time up forward, while Tom Atkins requires a clearance-winning partner.
Worpel was made the sub in last week's clash against Adelaide, adding further intrigue to his decision regarding his future.
The 26-year-old is a Peter Crimmins medallist, but has struggled to recapture the form he produced in 2019.
Injury woes and form troubles have limited Worpel to 15 outings in 2025, becoming second fiddle to the likes Jai Newcombe and Conor Nash.
The momentary return of Will Day pushed Worpel further down the ranks, but the former re-injured his foot and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Geelong's move for Worpel comes as the Hawks have been floated as a potential destination for Melbourne star Christian Petracca.
The 2021 Norm Smith Medallist's midfield time has been dwindling in recent weeks, and following the news of coach Simon Goodwin being sacked, an era of change is set for the Demons.
Petracca attempted to depart the club at the end of last year following his life-altering injury in the King's Birthday clash against Collingwood, but was ultimately held to his contract.
Given Goodwin's departure, the Demons could look at rebuilding through the draft under a new coach, with Petracca the only commodity they have that is of high value.
Hawthorn had previously looked at West Coast's Harley Reid but has seemingly dropped out of the race, with it understood he'll remain put for the foreseeable future.
