Luke Jackson’s request for a trade away from the Melbourne Demons is a long-awaited bombshell that could ignite an unprecedented trade frenzy.
But the Dees will fight tooth and nail to get a premium return for the Premiership winner, with the Herald Sun reporting the club will demand TWO top-10 draft picks in return for their 198cm ruck-forward.
However, Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson declared on AFL 360 that Jackson’s “not worth two first-rounders (first-round picks)” and claimed “the market is all wrong on this.”
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Fremantle have long been viewed as the favourite to secure Jackson’s services after three years in Melbourne, but the third pick in the 2019 draft made clear his willingness to play for either Western Australia team – something the Demons hope will spark a bidding race for his services.
West Coast currently has a stronger hand in the draft with three early picks at No. 2, 20 and 26. However, The Age reports that the Eagles are unwilling to trade their pick No.2.
The Dockers’ first pick is currently number 13, but the club will likely trade away a number of players to garner strong enough draft capital to win the race for the soon-to-be 21-year old.
Gerard Whateley said on AFL360: “There has been a broad assumption for a couple of months that it is arranged with Fremantle. As we sit here now, while Fremantle are heavy favourites given the history, both are in play.
“It gives a little insight into perhaps his motivation, I think it’s a clever play on that front. That this is about going back to Western Australia rather than choosing a club.”
“It gives Melbourne tremendous leverage,” he added. “They need a market, they’ve got a two-town market (now). They’ve got the less-likely destination (Eagles) who have what they want.”
That is, a strong hand of early draft picks.
Whateley continued: “They want two top-ten picks. I think that’s a perfectly reasonable position to start from. He’s a pick three who is a rising star winner and a premiership player already.
“I think he is worth more than the pick three he was taken at. I think he’s shown himself to be that (and more).”
But that claim stunned Robinson, who said: “He’s fallen off a cliff, fallen off a hill. I think he’s worth a first-round and a second-round.”
He declared that the Giants’ trade demands of two first-rounders for Jacob Hopper to join Richmond has skewed the market.
“I think GWS have totally screwed clubs on the: ‘Give us two picks, give us two first-rounders’.
“There’s first-rounders coming every year. This game has lifted every year with great players coming in, first-rounders.
“There’s not many first-rounders in the history of the game worth two. Gary Ablett, two. Chris Judd coming home, two and Josh Kennedy – first and Josh Kennedy. Luke Jackson’s not worth two first-rounders. Hopper is not worth two first-rounders.
“These clubs are bargaining hard. Melbourne should say: ‘No, we’re not going to do it’. He’s not worth two, he’s not. I think the market is all wrong on this.”
While Whateley argued the young gun proved himself better than a No. 3 pick, Robinson disagreed: “No, I just think he’s shown himself to be a pick three. For good measure, I’d throw in a second-rounder.”
With the Eagles boasting picks 2 and 20, Robinson said that combination would be an ideal offering.
“That’d be perfect. 2 and 20, which is start of the second round, first round. See ya later.”
