Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna believes it would be in both West Coast and North Melbourne’s best interests to strike a trade involving Pick 1, considering their respective rebuild situations.
The Eagles ended this year’s trade period still holding Pick 1 after finishing the 2023 season on the bottom of the ladder. But all 18 clubs can still trade selections in the lead-up to – and on – AFL draft night.
The Kangaroos boosted their draft hand significantly in recent weeks to now hold five first-round selections – Picks 2, 3, 15, 17 and 18 – ahead of the event on November 20.
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While Hawthorn and Melbourne have also attempted to move up to Pick 1 – which would give a club first rights to 185cm Bendigo Pioneers sensation Harley Reid – the Kangaroos loom as the team most likely to cut a deal.
And it remains on their to-do list.
“We‘re of interest obviously because we’ve got a hand that could potentially turn their head,” Kangaroos list boss Brady Rawlings told reporters on Wednesday night.
“We’ve just got to weigh up what price we’d be willing to put on that.
“We’ve got five picks inside 18. If we sit and take those, we’re going to get some good players.
“No bones about it, we’d like Pick 1. I think everyone would.
“It‘s just a matter of what we have to give up to be able to get it and that will lay with the Eagles.”
Rawlings then on SEN confirmed his club was particularly keen on using Picks 15, 17 and 18 to get higher up the order. He said his club would “consider” trading with the Eagles for Pick 1, but added it depended on the price.
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“They’ve got a high value on the pick, which they rightly should have,” Rawlings told SEN on Thursday morning.
“We’ll look to potentially offer them something, but if it’s too much and we end up picking at 2 and 3, we’re comfortable with that.”
While the Eagles hold the first selection, the rest of their draft hand isn’t as juicy as other clubs, holding Picks 23, 37 and 58.
Asked on Fox Footy’s Trading Day if the Roos should be aggressive in their pursuit of Pick 1, Montagna said: “Yes I would. I think they’ve got enough talent to go with a bit like what the Giants have done (last year with Aaron Cadman) and go and specifically target someone. I think Harley Reid and getting that match-winner type would be perfect.
“I think West Coast need a glut of early picks – and you’ve got to get them in a two or three-year window. We’ve seen premiership teams build that six, seven, eight or nine guys of your core together. I think they have to get more draft picks in this draft rather than going to Pick 23 after taking the first pick.
“I think that’s why North Melbourne is in the box seat. If I’m North Melbourne, I’m OK holding onto Picks 2 and 3, I’m not going to give them both up. I’d put it in West Coast’s hands and say: ‘If you want more picks, you take 3 and 15 and 17, otherwise we’ll just go in with Pick 2 and 3’. Ball is in West Coast’s court.”
Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph said he had “no doubt” the Eagles would consider offers for Pick 1, but suggested the Eagles would likely want “three (selections) within 10” in return.
Ralph said the Eagles were “very likely in the end to try and hand on the No. 1 pick”.
“I think in the end, if North Melbourne has to offer up Picks 2 and 3, it’s just too much. Given then North Melbourne would go from Pick 1 to Pick 15, which will push to Pick 20 – that’s not enough for North Melbourne,” Ralph told Trading Day.
“The (Eagles) have got Picks 1, 23, 37 and 58 – you cannot bring one elite player in when you’ve got eight list holes. You need to maximise that No. 1 pick and that’s by getting whatever you can for it and that will go all the way until November 20. I think it’ll take that long for them to get a deal done on Pick 1.
“They are going to get assaulted by many clubs who are trying to throw many things at them. They will be spoiled for choice, but at some stage, you’ve got to have a crack at maximising their assets.
“When you think about what happened this year, North Melbourne had the No. 1 overall pick and they gave it up and in the end (Harry) Sheezel and (George) Wardlaw are absolutely amazing. Every West Coast fan said: ‘We’ve split that pick (No. 2) and we’ve done the right thing because we’ve got local kids (Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett)’. If (they do get) Dan Curtin and they get Pick 8 and 12 and they bring local kids there and they love to play there and Daniel Curtin is their captain in eight years’ time … yes, Harley Reid is going to be an outstanding player in Victoria, but they’ve got their local talent and they love their locals.”
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Meanwhile, Hawthorn isn’t currently armed with the picks to sway West Coast, holding Pick 4 as well as several third-round picks to help them match a bid on father-son prospect Will McCabe, who’s expected to attract interest in the middle to later stages of the first round.
Hawks list Mark McKenzie said his could would keep “having a crack” while the top pick is up for grabs.
“If the No. 1 pick’s there we’ll continue to explore it,” he said.
“It‘s probably unlikely when you think what we were potentially talking about last week, but you never say never.”
Melbourne spent much of the trade period warding off raids on Clayton Oliver and Harrison Petty, but have Picks 6 and 11 in the first round to try to tempt the Eagles.
“West Coast obviously are in the box seat there,” Dees list boss Tim Lamb said.
“They’ve got the golden ticket this year, so we’ll assess our options and see what happens there.
“If we can get a little bit higher in the draft, that’d be nice.
“But we‘re really thrilled to have Picks 6 and 11 because we think we can get two really good players there.”
