Jesse Hogan will play for Greater Western Sydney next season after Fremantle agreed to trade the forward to the Giants.
Key points:
- The Dockers said it was “mutually agreed” Hogan would move to the Giants after discussions with the player and his management
- Hogan played 19 matches for the Dockers across two seasons after being recruited by the Demons
- He looms as a potential replacement for Jeremy Cameron if the Giants forward joins the Cats
The Dockers confirmed Hogan would move to his third AFL club, despite the trade period not commencing until Wednesday.
“Following a series of discussions between the club, Jesse and his management, it was mutually agreed that it was in Jesse’s best interests to further his playing career by moving away from WA,” Dockers executive general manager of football Peter Bell said in a statement.
“Due to injury and other factors, he was unable to play at the level we all know he is capable of.
“All parties agree that in Jesse’s long-term interests the preferred option is for him to continue his career at a new club.”
Hogan said he would be “forever in debt” to how Fremantle supported him during his struggles with mental health.
“I wish I was able to contribute a lot more to the football club than I have in my time here,” Hogan said.
“You will not know how disappointed I am that it didn’t work out the way I hoped it would when I got to come to the Dockers.
Hogan looms as a replacement for Jeremy Cameron at the Giants, with the star forward destined to join Geelong.
Contracted at the Dockers until the end of next year, Hogan had trouble living up to expectations after his high-profile move from Melbourne in 2018.
The Dockers were quietly trying to offload the 25-year-old, who won the AFL’s 2015 Rising Star award while playing for the Demons.
Hogan was traded to the Dockers for draft picks six and 23 after kicking 152 goals from 71 matches during his stint with Melbourne.
He played 19 matches with the Dockers and kicked 18 goals, but also spent time in defence this year.
Hogan made his first senior appearance in 12 months back in June after recovering from a foot injury he sustained in 2019 and taking an extended break to deal with a mental health issue.
He showed glimpses of his best form during the Dockers’ 2020 campaign, with a four-goal haul against North Melbourne late in the season among his highlights.
Hogan attracted media attention last month when he was fined for breaching WA’s strict COVID-19 quarantine laws after returning to the state from the Dockers’ AFL hub in Queensland.
ABC/AAP
