Collingwood is facing the prospect of being without one of its mainstay gun players next year, with defender John Noble requesting a trade away from the club. The Magpies on Tuesday morning confirmed Noble had asked the club to be “traded to a team outside Victoria”, despite being contracted to the Pies until at least the end of 2026.

The Age reported Noble, 27, requested a trade to Gold Coast during a meeting with senior coach Craig McRae and new list boss Justin Leppitsch. The report suggested Noble had been offered a four-year deal by the Suns.

“John today informed us he would like to explore a trade ahead of next season to be closer to family,” Leppitsch said in a club statement. “Whilst John is contracted, we understand the importance of family and will take this into consideration as we work through the trade period.”

Noble has played 112 games since he arrived at Collingwood via Pick 14 in the 2019 Mid-Season Draft. He wasn’t selected in the Magpies team that won last year’s premiership.

On Tuesday afternoon, McRae spoke of his disappointment at hearing of the slick rebounder’s intention to depart. “Johnny came in today and told us he wanted to request a trade to the Gold Coast,” McRae told SEN’s The Run Home with Andy & Gazey. “It was really difficult, actually. I felt really compromised. I don’t want him to go. He’s not disgruntled, and he understands he’s got a contract, but he wants to make certain choices around moving closer to family and other things that obviously have been put in front of him.”

McRae added that Noble, as a contracted player, is aware that if a trade can’t be agreed to, he will remain in Magpies colours. “There’s going to have to be a pretty good deal for us to decide this, because you’re on a two-year contract, and we don’t have players queued up to play the roles he plays,” he said. “He’s not disgruntled, and he understands if it doesn’t work out, he’s playing with us next year.”

Noble's Time at Collingwood

Noble’s link to Gold Coast comes as the Suns eye another contracted rebounding defender in Daniel Rioli, who’s reportedly keen to link up with his former coach Damien Hardwick in Queensland. The Suns, however, could lose contracted forward Jack Lukosius, who’s been linked to a move home to South Australia.

Speaking to foxfooty.com.au in May, Noble said missing out on the 2023 Grand Final was “really tough”. “Last year I felt like I contributed a fair bit to our success, and I was certainly along the journey,” Noble told foxfooty.com.au. “Yeah, it was hard to miss out.”

Noble was the heartbreak story of last year’s premiership win, after playing all 23 home and away games for the year before he lost his place in the Magpies’ team for the finals to Oleg Markov. Noble recovered his place in the team this year, playing 20 matches.

The Trade Period and Potential Deals

Gold Coast, as it stands, holds Picks 6, 13, 20, 26 and 34, but is also preparing to match a potential top-10 bid on star academy prospect Leo Lombard. Collingwood do not have a selection in this year’s draft until pick 32. They traded their first pick in this year’s draft for Lachie Schultz from Fremantle for a selection that has now turned into pick nine. The Jack Ginnivan trade to Hawthorn, which involved a swap of picks, has also pushed them back in the second round of the draft from 30. The Magpies’ second round pick is tied to Hawthorn’s final finishing position, which would be 32 based on the current ladder.

As the draft order stands now, Gold Coast have selections six, 13, 20, 26 and 34. Collingwood would be eyeing pick 20 in any deal for the attacking backman. Rioli is contracted for another three years and Richmond will seek a premium for the 27-year-old.

The Suns will be active players in the trade period, given that contracted forward Jack Lukosius, who was dropped from the senior team late in the year, will be the subject of trade offers, with Adelaide interested in the South Australian. The Crows hold pick four in the national draft.

Other Potential Trade Moves

The Magpies are also waiting on a decision from out-of-contract small forward Joe Richards, the 23-year-old former teacher from Wangaratta, whom Channel Seven recently reported had been offered a four-year contract offer from Port Adelaide. The small forward has only played nine games for Collingwood and also has a contract offer from the Magpies. At Collingwood he has competition for a small forward spot in the team with Bobby Hill, Schultz and Beau McCreery, while another young small forward, Harvey Harrison, will miss most of next year after a knee reconstruction.

Conclusion: A Family Affair

John Noble’s decision to request a trade to Gold Coast is ultimately driven by family reasons. This highlights the importance of family for many athletes, who are often forced to make difficult decisions in their careers. While Collingwood is disappointed to lose a key player, they understand Noble’s desire to be closer to his family. The Magpies will now work towards striking a trade with the Suns that is beneficial to both clubs.

The 2024 trade period begins on October 7, and it will be interesting to see what deals are struck as clubs jostle for players and positions in the draft. With a number of key players potentially on the move, this year’s trade period is sure to be exciting and unpredictable. It's likely we'll be seeing more trade requests and negotiations in the coming weeks as clubs look to improve their lists for the 2025 season.