West Coast are unlikely to be prepared to trade their first pick to secure Melbourne premiership player Luke Jackson, after the young big man confirmed his intent to seek a trade back to either WA club on Tuesday.
The Eagles have indicated to Melbourne that pick No.2 – which will probably become No.3 after likely early bidding for Brisbane Lions father-son prospect Will Ashcroft – would not form part of negotiations for Jackson.
Luke Jackson will ask for a trade, but which WA club is in the box seat?Credit:The Age, AFL Photos, Getty Images
To trade their first pick, the Eagles would need permission from the AFL after having traded multiple first round picks in the last few years. That would be likely to be a formality in this case.
Melbourne confirmed that Jackson had asked for a trade back to home to Perth, and to either WA club, in his exit interview – as The Age reported he would – on Tuesday.
“There is no doubt that we wanted Luke to remain at the Demons, but we respect his decision to want to return home to Western Australia to be closer to his family and friends,” Melbourne list manager Tom Lamb said.
“We will now work to secure a deal that compensates the club accordingly.”
Club sources, meanwhile, said that while the Demons’ players were sore and below their physical peak, and some were managing injuries in the finals, they were not “banged up” and it was not an excuse for losing both games.
Captain Max Gawn played the finals series with a sore back but will require no surgery or treatment other than rest.
Similarly, Christian Petracca’s hairline fracture in his leg will repair with rest and will not require surgery for a pin to be inserted. He, too, will recover with rest.
Bayley Fritsch suffered a knee injury in the warm-up before the Sydney final but is also likely to avoid surgery.
The club’s 2022 season post-mortem will address the fact that what they saw in finals was what they had seen all year, and focus on the fade-outs late in games. They will look at the medical program, but do not believe there was a lack of fitness among the players.
They will re-examine their method of play and the mentality of players to become more conservative with the ball once a lead was established.
More immediately in the trade period, the Demons are hopeful that Jackson will influence negotiations with both WA clubs to help not only secure his best deal, but the best trade for Melbourne.
The Dockers’ first round pick – currently No.13 – and another pick would be offered in a deal. The Dockers could look at moving next year’s first round selection but with a raft of players looking at possible trades this year, there is the potential yet for other early draft picks to come into the club.
Key forward and ruck Rory Lobb has been linked with a move to the Western Bulldogs, key position player Griffin Logue with North Melbourne, and Blake Acres with a move to Carlton, while Liam Henry, Lloyd Meek, and Darcy Tucker could also be looking to move.
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