Cats deny trade talk

Andrew Mathieson
GEELONG football officials have rubbished claims promising ruckman Shane Mumford is looking for an exit.
Club president Frank Costa and football operations manager Neil Balme said the big Cat would be off the trading table this week.
However, Costa said the “forces of the trade week can be very powerful”, conceding rival clubs were circling players like Mumford.
“Shane was not considering a move but I am aware clubs were chasing Shane,” Costa said.
“There are a lot of clubs who are looking for big, strong ruckmen and, because Geelong has (Brad) Ottens, (Mark) Blake, Mumford and (Trent) West, the club think we might be able to spare one.
“To the best of my knowledge, we plan to keep all of them.”
Mumford’s manager, Anthony McConville, was reported to be floating the ruckman in trade week and set to inform Geelong about his player’s future on Wednesday.
“I don’t know anything about,” Balme said.
“We are aware he is in that process and we’re very keen to keep them but that’s all we’re prepared to say at the moment,” he said.
Balme also discredited suggestions pacey David Wojcinski’s career was hanging on Mumford’s possible departure.
Sydney could offer Mumford a $1 million deal for three years to leave Skilled Stadium, which would free up room in the Cats’ salary cap to keep Wojcinski.
Balme conceded the salary cap was impacting on the club’s ability to avoid losing members of its premiership squad.
“We’re obviously working very hard to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said.
“It’s quite difficult to manage, I must say.”