Essendon open to letting GWS target Stringer go… but how do the Dons improve?

Tom Morris expects the GWS Giants to say they do want Essendon’s Jake Stringer.

The Bombers forward has been linked with the Giants of late as he searches for more than a one-year deal which he has at the Dons.

SEN regular and Channel 9’s Morris believes that the Giants are doing their due diligence on the 30-year-old and could soon make public their desire to recruit him.

“So the situation with Stringer is the Giants are yet to fully confirm they want him,” Morris said on SEN Breakfast.

“It's expected they will, but they're doing their due diligence. It's expected that they will say, ‘Yes, we want him’, but they're yet to fully say it.

“When that does happen, Stringer will want to get there on a two-year deal, and Essendon will be very open to letting him go as well. But it won't be for much.”

Bombers list boss Matt Rosa commented on Stringer earlier this week on AFL Trade Radio, saying: “Jake is clearly a contracted player and had a really good season this year.

“There has been some interest in Jake. We understand there’s the aspect of tenure that’s being discussed and we’ll continue to work through that.”

Giants list boss Adrian Caruso stopped short of saying his club would pursue Stringer, or Dons teammate Dylan Shiel, but did not rule it out.

“We haven’t had a chance to do a heap of work yet because we didn’t know until last week that a couple of our guys were leaving,” he said.

“That opens up a couple of list spots that we probably didn’t expect to have.

“So Jake and Dylan, along with a few other guys who might be delisted or still out of contract, we’ll start doing her work on those guys.”

Morris also floated the possibility of midfielder Shiel, who has also been linked with his former club the Giants.

He asked how the Dons improve in 2025 if players of this ilk do happen to walk out the door at The Hangar.

“And then Dylan Shiel is another conversation with the Giants as well,” Morris added.

“So how are they going to get better next year and play finals? Is it just internal growth?”

Co-host Garry Lyon said: “They may think they've got more on their list than you or I think.”

Morris added: “Because last year they brought in (Xavier) Duursma, (Ben) McKay, (Jade) Gresham and (Todd) Goldstein.

“But at this stage, it looks like they might bring in (Josh) Rotham from WA and not much else.”

Lyon continued: “I guess they think that they've got a fair bit of young talent to come through together, including Nate Caddy, who is going to be the cornerstone of their forward setup.

“I hope they think they got the backline sorted.”

As it stands, Stringer is contracted at Essendon for 2025 after triggering a clause in his contract this year.

Shiel has a year to run on his deal with the Dons.