Geelong will be asked to give up a future second-round pick to complete the salary-dump deal that will them get pick seven this year and Jack Bowes from the Gold Coast as long as they take on his heavy contract.
As Joel Selwood retires, Geelong will receive the best pick in a draft they have had since Selwood was chosen with pick seven in 2006.
Bowes on Wednesday chose the Cats over suitors Hawthorn and Essendon after touring all three clubs’ facilities and speaking with senior football staff on Tuesday.
Jack Bowes.Credit:Getty Images
Bowes, a former top 10 pick, was due to be paid $1.6 million over the next two years, an amount the Cats will have to absorb, spreading it out across what is likely to be a four-year deal.
The fact the reigning premier has salary-cap space to absorb a salary dump from a team that has not played finals in its short lifespan is a point of congratulations to Geelong but also of frustration to the AFL and other clubs.
Having been at a lowly team, Bowes was attracted to playing for a strong team.
While Geelong are negotiating with Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood over Tanner Bruhn and Ollie Henry respectively after both second-year players asked for trades to the Cats, it is not planned for pick seven to be split or used in a trade to secure either player.
In other moves St Kilda received pick 32 from Gold Coast for Ben Long and a future fourth-round pick.
St Kilda’s Ben Long.Credit:AFL Photos / Getty Images
Lions forward Tom Berry was also traded to the Suns for pick 25 and 36 this year. The Suns received Berry as well as the Lions’ on-traded future second-round pick from GWS and the Lions pick 46 in this year’s draft.
So, the Lions got two picks in – picks 25 and 36 – for more points this year to cover recruiting father-son Will Ashcroft, who is a top draft prospect. And the Suns effectively gave up pick 25 for a future second to help them with points to cover academy picks next year and slide 10 spots in the draft this year, from 36 to 46. And, not just an afterthought, they also got Berry.
Adelaide and Gold Coast are close to a deal for Izak Rankine for pick five and a future third-round pick with an exchange of other minor picks that will amount to small pick slides.
The Dockers and Melbourne remain in discussions without meaningful movement on a deal for Luke Jackson with Melbourne wanting more than pick 13 and the Dockers’ future first-rounder.
Collingwood and Melbourne likewise are in talks over Brodie Grundy with Melbourne, having offered pick 27 for the ruckman but, having insisted on a pick inside 25, Collingwood are waiting to see what Melbourne brings in via the Jackson deal.
Early in the day Bulldog Zaine Cordy moved to St Kilda as a free agent.
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