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FORGOTTEN Port Adelaide ruckman Matthew Lobbe is set to play for a new club next year.
Lobbe signed a contract extension at the end of 2014 to see him committed to Port until the end of 2019, after having put together a career-best season and helping the Power to a preliminary final.
Since then, the 28-year-old has played just 25 matches.
None of those came this season, with Paddy Ryder taking the No.1 ruck mantle.
"There's enough interest there to hopefully get something done for him and he just wants a new start, and show he can still play at the highest level," Lobbe's manager Michael Doughty told NAB AFL Trade Radio on Wednesday.
There has already been interest in the Victorian.
"A couple of northern clubs have shown some reasonable interest, so we're just working through that at the moment. I've had some phone calls in the last couple of days from a few other clubs, so there's enough to say that we can hopefully get something done for him," Doughty said.
There was a chance Lobbe could have joined the Western Bulldogs at the end of 2015.
"It was a last-minute opportunity that the Bulldogs put on the table, which was a pretty high first round pick and I think another pick at the time, which Port didn't see coming," Doughty said.
"I tried to get hold of Matthew, I think he was in Vietnam at the time, and I think we were about to fly over with the Bulldogs' recruiting manager (Simon Dalrymple) and CEO (David Stevenson) and coach (Luke Beveridge) to make the meeting happen, but it all fell through.
"The coach (Ken Hinkley) decided that he wanted to keep Matt, and that was the end of that trade option.
"It was a tough one for Matt, because he hadn't met the players, been through the club or anything. Obviously being overseas at the time, it was a really tough decision for him to make. The Bulldogs were happy to fly over and meet him and get the deal done, which would have been more money and an extra year, so it was a missed opportunity for Matt."
However, Doughty confirmed the Bulldogs hadn't shown any further interest thus far in Lobbe.
Meanwhile, young Essendon defender Aaron Francis is expected to stay with the Bombers.
The No.6 selection from 2015 has played five career games and is contracted until the end of 2019.
"He's had a few issues with his body and getting himself to a state where he's able to play at the senior level. He's quite a powerful young man. His body can't quite deal with the speed and power he's got, so he's had to build that up," Doughty said.
"I think late in the year, he started to get to where he needed to get to with his fitness and his body strength.
"He's had a disappointing first two years, no doubt, and obviously with that comes pressure. He's got another two years to run on his contract and he's suffered from a bit of homesickness.
"There's been a bit of talk – I'd suggest it's more unlikely than likely that anything would happen there with Aaron."
Injured Adelaide backman Brodie Smith will sign a contract extension in the coming months.
Smith, 25, ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the Crows' qualifying final.
"I've had some conversations with Adelaide already. We'll look to do something, just let the dust settle and extend him out hopefully before Christmas," Smith said.
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