Fevola not on Pies' radar
06/07/2007 3:02 PM
Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has ruled out any prospect that Carlton full-forward and reigning Coleman Medalist Brendan Fevola will be donning the black and white next season.
Malthouse said that he has no interest in recruiting Fevola, who's been suspended by the Blues for one match as a result of disciplinary issues arising from last Saturday's clash with Fremantle at Subiaco.
Fevola's suspension prompted speculation that he might be available on the open market, but Malthouse noted that the 26-year-old had declared that he wants to remain at Carlton.
"No.25 at Carlton won't be at Collingwood next year, so it's academic, isn’t it, totally," Malthouse told his Friday media conference at the Lexus Centre.
"And the simple fact is that that player is contracted and has made a statement I believe this morning that he wants to be at Carlton so I don’t see how in hell we can give it any thought whatsoever."
Asked if he would instruct Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert or football manager Geoff Walsh not to even look at Fevola, Malthouse replied: "Yep".
Malthouse said Collingwood has a host of long-term full-forward options including Sean Rusling, Ben Reid - the club's No.1 selection at last year's National Draft - 19-year-old first-year forward Chris Dawes who is yet to take the field this season because of a knee reconstruction, Travis Cloke and Josh Fraser
"I'm not about to break the rules that I set which is to look closely at what we can draft more so than what we can bring in from other clubs," he said.