GOLD Coast has enquired about Nick Daicos as a trade target as the Suns continue to monitor the Collingwood superstar.
AFL.com.au can reveal the Suns, who have a number of players being targeted by Victorian clubs, recently reached out to Daicos' manager Robbie D'Orazio to assess if there was any interest in a move north.
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It follows three clubs in last year's Trade Period either contacting Daicos' management or the midfield matchwinner directly about any interest in a move.
The 23-year-old Magpies captain-in-waiting is contracted at the Pies until the end of 2029, but has yet to commit beyond his free agency as Collingwood looks at signing him to a 'lifer' deal.
While no trade would be agreed by Collingwood and Daicos hasn't initiated any interest, the Suns have kept a close eye on the star through his career, having toured him through their club in his draft year in 2021 as he weighed up whether he nominated as a father-son to Collingwood or entered the open draft, and are understood to have again recently asked the question. The Suns also placed the bid on Daicos at pick No.4, which was matched by Collingwood.
The Daicos brothers have family in Queensland and are regularly on the Gold Coast through the season and off-season periods. Last week, Nick played one of the best games of his season with 31 disposals and a goal in the Pies' tough win over the Suns.
Tasmania has been linked as pursuing Daicos, but Devils list manager Todd Patterson in April all but ruled out a chase for him until he reaches free agency as they protect their draft concessions.
"It's a clear priority for us to hit the uncontracted and free agent market," Patterson said of chasing players.
"We've got a lot of draft assets as people know, but it doesn't make a lot of sense for us to be unnecessarily giving those up for players when there's a pool of available players that we don't need to do that for. So that at the moment is a key focus for us.
"The best strategy is an adaptable one and we're clear that at some point in time during this list build, we're going to have to trade and it'll be on a case-by-case basis. But I don't think we can be too reckless in just trading away five or six draft picks for any single player.
"We won't 100 per cent rule it out. But at this stage it's not in line with our strategy."
Collingwood chased Ben King as a free agent for some time before King narrowed his options to staying at Gold Coast or going to Hawthorn, while the Pies also met with Suns forward Bailey Humphrey last year and have maintained interest in Jed Walter this season.
Walter has been offered a deal close to $6 million from Essendon, while Geelong and Hawthorn have also expressed interest. But the young Sun is also weighing up a number of options – short and long-term – to stay at Gold Coast, where he is a local Academy product.