By AAP
GREATER Western Sydney AFL coach Kevin Sheedy says the Giants are not in the market for Collingwood forward Travis Cloke and will instead target an experienced ruckman for next year.
Sheedy says Cloke, who has been linked with the Giants among several other suitors for a reported $1 million a season asking price, does not figure on his wishlist.
Instead, the Giants have earmarked ruckmen and defenders as they look to bolster their list with players out of contract at the end of this season.
Sheedy admits the Giants have "a fair bit" available in their salary cap for next season, which will aid them in their quest for experienced talent along with the new club's AFL draft concessions.
"He wouldn't be on my list," Sheedy told the Seven Network's AFL Game Day when asked about Cloke.
"We've got players we've got to develop [in that position] up there ... we need ruckmen - we need key backs.
"We'll go for a ruckman. We need another ruckman or two.
"Dean Brogan won't play much longer obviously and that leaves us pretty skinny right at the moment."
Sheedy's declaration clearly elevates experienced ruckmen such as Melbourne's Mark Jamar and Carlton's Robbie Warnock onto their radar.
Both are out of contract at the end of the season.
One reported target and a former Sheedy protege, Essendon's Paddy Ryder, re-signed with the Bombers last week to narrow the available ruck pool.
Sheedy said he was also keen to experiment further with rugby league recruit Israel Folau in the ruck alongside developing duo Jonathan Giles and Andrew Phillips.
And the veteran coach has again backed Folau to eventually make a success of his code switch, just as Gold Coast's Karmichael Hunt has this season.
"He'll take every bit of this year and next year as Karmichael Hunt has taken, but Karmichael Hunt's older than him," Sheedy said.
"He'll end up like a (St Kilda's Jason) Blake, go forward or back and in the ruck."
Sheedy said he was keen to remain at the Giants beyond this season, but was in no hurry to nail down a new deal and was confident it would be done.
