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Sport Nation
Trade talk: Carlton 'preparing for life without TDK'
SEN • June 22nd, 2025 12:52 pm
Carlton is in “active trade conversations” with other players as they gather contingency plans should Tom De Koning agree to a monster move to St Kilda.
More than halfway through a season that has been dominated by the “will he won’t he” headlines, the Blues are understood to be considering their options as their star free agent mulls over a $1.7-a-year seven-year offer from Saints.
With the significant contract being offered to the 25-year-old, it may be a no-brainer to jump ship and secure financial freedom, however with the current state of the Saints’ list, will a move to Moorabbin sacrifice any chance of success within the AFL?
Certainly after the woeful performance by Carlton against North Melbourne and the future of coach Michael Voss on the line, De Koning may see no alternative but to move away.
“Carlton have told him ‘look, we have to start planning for life without you. While you wrestle with your playing future, we need to get a move on’,” SEN’s Sam Edmund told Crunch Time.
“There have been reports this week about the meeting with TDK and Carlton’s incoming CEO Graham Wright and renewed optimism about that meeting, but Blues powerbrokers are completely in the dark about his decision.
“Truth is he would prefer to stay at Carlton but money is the obvious and significant temptation.
“Carlton wants him to stay but their offer is not budging; $1m a year for seven and it is dwarfed by Saints 1.7 for the same tenure.”
In terms of what things look like for Carlton in 2026 and beyond, Edmund added: “The Blues are active in trade conversations at the moment.
“That’s not to say they will replace like-for-like, but they’re conscious they need runners and ball users.
“They can back out of their conversations if TDK backs out of Saints and resigns.
“The curiosity here is that players won’t tell their clubs. If TDK is set on joining Saints he’s not going to tell them now with half a season to run.
“The only answer he can give is “I’m staying” and he’s not prepared to do that at the moment.”
Carlton currently sit 10th on the AFL ladder, but performances similar to their 11-point defeat to north will quickly see them tumble down the standings.
With trips to Adelaide, Brisbane and a clash with Collingwood in their next three games, life is not set to get much easier for Voss and his team.
