AFL trades 2022: Fremantle Dockers meet off-contract Gold Coast Suns forward Josh Corbett

Fremantle have upped their interest in Josh Corbett, meeting with the off-contract Gold Coast forward. The West Australian understands the Dockers are one of multiple clubs to interview with the 26-year-old as a potential delisted free agent or cheap trade target. While he wasn’t part of the Suns’ first round of post-season delistings, which included Jez McLennan, Matt Conroy, Rhys Nicholls and Patrick Murtagh, Corbett is yet to be locked in for 2023. The Werribee VFL product arrived at Gold Coast in 2018 as part of a special assistance package from the AFL and has featured 36 times at the top level. The 190cm forward had his best year in 2021 with 23 majors in 16 games, including a four-goal haul against Collingwood in round seven, but only featured four times last season. He was a strong VFL contributor for the Suns with 25 goals in 12 games including a monster elimination-final performance in the win over Box Hill, booting 4.4 and taking 17 marks to go with 25 disposals in front of several onlookers from rival AFL clubs. The Dockers are also pursuing East Fremantle product Jeremy Sharp, after he was unable to establish himself as a regular in his third season at the Suns. Sharp played 12 games this season, including two as an unused medical sub. Fremantle’s forward line has been under the spotlight this season with unavailability and injuries to Matt Taberner (calf), Rory Lobb (shoulder), Griffin Logue (groin) and youngsters Jye Amiss (kidney) and Josh Treacy (illness) not helping their cause. Lobb has requested a trade to Western Bulldogs, despite having another yet to run on his contract, while out-of-contract swingman Logue wants to get to North Melbourne. The Dockers have success in dealing with Gold Coast in recent times, no bigger than midfielder Will Brodie who has become one of the recruits of the year this season after coming across in what was effectively a salary-cap dump. Fremantle’s large group of wantaway players are expected to attend Saturday night’s Doig Medal function at Crown Perth, with a group of Dockers then due to go overseas on holiday during what is looming as the club’s busiest trade period. Wingman Blake Acres is expected to be traded to Carlton on the opening day of the trade period on Monday, in a deal potentially involving a future third-round pick, while the fate of Lobb remains contentious. The West Australian recently revealed Lobb believed the Dockers would let him go at the end of the 2022 season, with one year remaining on his contract, though the club refused his request to move to the Western Bulldogs during his exit meeting. The WA clubs are not viewed as realistic chances to get involved in Gold Coast’s salary dump trade of former top-10 pick Jack Bowes, with the Suns willing to hand pick 7 to the club that takes over his contract. Bowes is believed to be keen to move to Victoria.