A handful of the most contentious trades remain up in the air heading towards Wednesday night’s 7.30pm (AEDT) deadline – and there’s always one or two that simply fall apart.
Brisbane’s move for Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley threatens to be one of those, with both sides remaining far apart on a move for the 2022 best and fairest winner.
The Bulldogs have asked for two first-round picks and even discussed a player getting thrown into the deal, but Brisbane’s current offer – per the Herald Sun – would see Dunkley and Pick 39 head north, with the Lions giving up Pick 21 and their future first-round pick.
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That’s a step back from the Lions’ initial demand of Dunkley, 30 and 39 in exchange for 15 (before it was traded) and a future first.
The Age reports the Bulldogs don’t want to give up Pick 39 and instead want the Lions to throw in later picks on their end.
Brisbane needs enough draft points to match bids on No. 1 prospect Will Ashcroft and fringe first-rounder Jaspa Fletcher – approximately 3000. They’re currently on 3319 points and would not have enough if they traded away Pick 21 without getting any current-year picks back.
The Herald Sun reports the Lions have received offers to swap its Pick 21 – almost certainly to get more draft points – and would follow that option if the Dunkley trade isn’t executed.
The Bulldogs remain willing to send Dunkley to the pre-season draft, and get nothing at all for their best and fairest winner, if the right deal isn’t found.
But the Lions will be hopeful the Bulldogs relent in order to nab Rory Lobb, with Fremantle holding firm on its willingness to keep the contracted tall forward.
The Dockers want a first-round pick while the Bulldogs have produced offers involving a second-round pick and some swaps, such as Pick 30 and a future second in exchange for Lobb and a late pick.
In the end the Bulldogs may find Pick 21, obtained from Brisbane in a Dunkley deal, would convince Fremantle to give up Lobb.
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As Foxfooty.com.au reported on Tuesday night, Collingwood forward Ollie Henryis willing to enter the pre-season draft if a trade isn’t completed that sends him home to Geelong.
As it stands the Magpies will not accept an offer of Pick 25 in exchange for the player picked at No. 17 in the 2020 draft.
They instead want a first-round pick, but Geelong has not entertained the idea of swapping their Pick 7 (obtained on Tuesday in the Jack Bowes salary dump) for the Magpies’ Pick 16 and Henry.
If the Cats are willing to trade away contracted tall utility Esava Ratugolea to Port Adelaide, that could earn them Pick 33, which they could throw in with 25 and potentially satisfy the Pies. But the premiers are keen to keep Ratugolea if at all possible.
AFL Media reported Geelong would more likely consider a Ratugolea trade if Port Adelaide can obtain a future second-round pick – they cannot deal out the one they have right now, due to rules around future pick trading (they traded their other future picks, including their first-rounder, in the Jason Horne-Francis megadeal).
Collingwood could land Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell from Hawthorn even without completing the Henry deal, with the Herald Sun reporting Pick 27 (which came from Melbourne for Brodie Grundy) is likely to get Mitchell moved.
The Hawks, keen to add draft picks and accelerate their rebuild, are also willing to trade out Jaeger O’Meara with GWS and Fremantle both interested.
The Giants have reportedly offered a three-year deal, on top of O’Meara’s existing contract with a year left on it, and are willing to trade an early second-round pick for him. They currently own Picks 1, 15, 18, 19 and 31.
However Trade Radio’s Damian Barrett reported the Giants are “reluctant to pay any” of O’Meara’s 2023 contract, and the amount of salary picked up by Hawthorn is likely to determine the price tag.
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If O’Meara decides he would rather return to Western Australia and join the Dockers, it’s unclear how a deal would get done given their earliest pick in this draft is 44, and they do not have a future first-round pick having dealt it in the Luke Jackson trade.
The Dockers also cannot trade their future second because of the Jackson move, which is holding up a potential move for Gold Coast’s Jeremy Sharp, as that’s the price the Suns would accept.
Lloyd Meek could prove critical to the O’Meara deal, the Dockers ruckman having requested a trade to Hawthorn. The Hawks are offering a future third-round pick for Meek while the Dockers want a future second (which they could use to get Sharp).
Aaron Francis will get to Sydney while Sam Weideman will join Essendon, with those two clubs and Melbourne reportedly discussing a three-way trade for the pair of 2015 top-10 picks.
Sydney’s future third-round pick is likely to be the biggest selection involved in the deal, with some other later picks also rotating around.
North Melbourne is keen on Hunter Clark and they’ve said he’s keen to join them, but St Kilda does not look interested in dealing him at the moment.
Matt Crouch has some minor interest but Adelaide expects the contracted midfielder to remain there.
No deals may be officially completed before 3pm EDT on deadline day.
