COLLINGWOOD has not given up hope that forward Jamie Elliott will shun rival interest and extend his contract with the club, having met with the star free agent in regard to his future on Thursday morning.
Elliott, who is one of this year's most sought-after unrestricted free agents, has attracted a host of rival interest – with Melbourne and Hawthorn among the clubs leading the charge for his signature.
But the Pies are not yet ruling out the prospect of retaining the mercurial 27-year-old, with the free agency period due to officially open on Friday morning.
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"We've had a chat to Jamie this morning," Collingwood list manager Ned Guy told AFL.com.au.
"We've got our fingers and toes crossed that he's keen to stay, but we're just waiting to hear from him at this stage."
Elliott is due to go on holiday on Saturday, with a final call on his future likely to be made before then.
It follows a 2019 campaign that yielded 26 goals from 16 matches, having returned from more than a year out of the game due to a series of injury problems.
Speaking on Thursday, he said he was still hopeful of remaining with the Pies.
"I was just going in (to Collingwood) to chat with people," Elliott told Channel 9.
"I've got a few things to happen over the next couple of days, but hopefully (I'll stay)."
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Manager Adam Ramanauskas told Melbourne radio station RSN his client has 'a few options'.
"The thing with Jamie, I've been speaking with Collingwood all year," he said.
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"Jamie has never wanted to engage until he was playing some sort of decent football. For whatever reason that came later in the season.
"So the talks have only really just started a couple of weeks ago."