After tangling together in Wednesday night's season opener, Western Australian rucking duo Luke Jackson and Tim English have been linked with returns to home at the cessation of this season.
With both the Melbourne and Western Bulldogs tap-workers within the final year of their contracts at their respective Victorian clubs, there remained a growing view that each would eventually attract the interest of the two sides from their state of origin.
And following a Friday night report fromย 7 News'ย Mitch Cleary that the pair had been sent baited hooks by the Dockers and Eagles respectively, one of the most interesting storylines set to unfold this winter was made even more intriguing.
"Two of the young, star ruckman of the competition will be big targets on the trade market this year," Cleary commenced in his piece to camera.
"Melbourne premiership ruckman Luke Jackson is being chased by Fremantle and remains out of contract [with the Demons]."
Despite his current lack of a contract following the season's final siren, the 20-year-old Fremantle native appears set to remain a Redleg, with Cleary claiming work behind the scenes of a new deal was already in motion.
"The Demons are confident of securing his signature [with] his Perth-based management spending the week in Melbourne to begin talks on a new deal."
Cleary added weight to his assertion by stating Melbourne's GM of Football performance Alan Richardson was "confident" the club would retain the ruck that former St Kilda steward was instrumental in recruiting.
Luke Jacksonโs Perth-based management spent the week in Melbourneโฆ early talks starting on his next Demons deal.
Footy boss Alan Richardson told @7NewsMelbourne on Wednesday the Dees were confident in retaining him. https://t.co/3sel4tCRoy
— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) March 18, 2022
While Jackson's place alongside Max Gawn appears set to be set in stone, the length of any prospective deal is yet to be determined.
Given the 2021 AFL Rising Star was brought across the Nullarbor ahead of the 2020 season, Jackson is still five years shy of meeting the marker for restricted free agency.
With the Dockers selecting 'Dogga' as their prime target to pair with Sean Darcy long-term, the Eagles have reportedly opted for a different tack by casting a lure in English's direction.
Like Jackson, English is set to complete his current contract in 2022, however, the 24-year-old's future is still decidedly more ambiguous according to Cleary.
"Tim English is being pursued by West Coast as they prepare to begin for life after Nic Naitanui. No movement just yet on a deal to keep him at the Whitten Oval," the former AFL Media reporter clarified.
Having debuted for the Dogs in Round 10, 2017, should the former top 10 draftee ink a two-year extension to remain at the kennel and rebuff the Eagles' early advances, English would become a restricted free-agent in 2024.
