AFL Trade 2022: Luke Jackson requests trade to Western Australia

West Coast has not ruled out its prized pick two being involved in a trade as it looks to convince Luke Jackson to choose becoming an Eagle instead of a Docker.

West Coast wants to meet Melbourne star tall Luke Jackson before the trade period in an attempt to steal him from Fremantle’s clutches.

The Eagles are adamant they remain in the race for Jackson’s signature after last year’s Rising Star winner said on Tuesday he wanted to return home to Western Australia in next month’s exchange period.

Fremantle has long been considered the frontrunner for Jackson’s services as the Dockers look to mount a serious challenge for next year’s premiership, whereas the Eagles are in full rebuild mode after finishing second-last this year.

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West Coast does not want to part with pick 2 on its own for Jackson, but is prepared to look at splitting its top choice and potentially involve next year’s first-rounder to pull off the shock move.

West Coast list boss Rohan O’Brien said the club was “absolutely” interested in Jackson given his enormous upside, and was confident the club could get a deal done with Melbourne.

Talks with the Demons are expected to ramp up in coming days, putting pressure on the Dockers to strike a suitable deal.

West Coast is a serious player in the race for Luke Jackson. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

The Demons are adamant they want two early picks for a man they believe can be the best ruckman in the game over the next decade.

O’Brien said the Eagles were in a strong position to complete a trade for Jackson, who would take over from Nic Naitanui as the club’s No. 1 ruckman next season.

“We think we are well placed with a range of possibilities if we get the opportunity to trade for Luke,” O’Brien said.

“We can split selections to generate more. We have future selections. There’s player trades.

“We haven’t spoken to Melbourne yet at all. I’ll contact Tim Lamb (Melbourne list boss) in coming days and start working on that, but we also need to get in front of Luke and his management (TLA) to find out their position as well and put our case forward.

“Hopefully we can convince him we are the right club to come to.

“There is an air of confidence we can convince him and we can hopefully get a deal done.

“Opportunities like Luke don’t come along very often. So when they come along it would be remiss not to explore them and put our best foot forward.”

There is intrigue over how Fremantle can partner-up Jackson and lead ruckman Sean Darcy in the same side.

The Dockers have a strong view Jackson’s versatility would allow him to play as a key forward or midfielder and swap with Darcy in the ruck.

The former Australian junior basketballer is considered supremely skilled at ground level for a big man.

O’Brien said the Eagles have been talking to Jackson’s management all year about his future, and would look to arrange a meeting with him shortly.

West Coast would be unlikely to get involved in serious trade talks with Melbourne if it cannot speak with Jackson first about playing for the Eagles.

Fremantle has put a blockbuster long-term deal on the table worth more than $800,000 a season to secure Jackson.

“The message that we have been getting is he had a decision to make and if made a decision to come home both clubs would be a consideration,” O’Brien said on SEN WA.

“He asked for space to play his footy and just get through the season which we respected.

“We will put our best foot forward and hope to convince Luke that we are the right option.”

Jackson’s mum paid tribute to her son, saying the family “are so excited to have you home”.

Luke Jackson celebrates Melbourne’s 2021 premiership. Picture: Michael Klein

The 20-year-old was known to be happy at the club, however his family was the driving force in his decision to return to Western Australia after three seasons in red and blue.

Jackson’s mum, Melissa, lauded Luke for the way he had carried himself in the spotlight all season and thanked the Demons who have developed Jackson into one of the competition’s most exciting young talls.

“So very proud of you and how well you handle yourself,” Melissa Jackson said on social media.

“You are an exceptional young man and everyone that knows you, knows this.

“Melbourne Football Club will always hold a special place in our hearts and we are so excited to have you home.

“We wish your team mates, coaches, staff and supporters all the very best ahead.”

The club was aware in his draft year there was a significant chance he would want a trade back to Western Australia at some point in his career.

He may not want to attend the club’s best-and-fairest next Monday, after telling Melbourne he wanted to be traded at his exit interview on Tuesday following 52 games at Melbourne.

Melbourne drafted Jackson with pick 3 and will embark on a deal with Fremantle which secures the Demons two first-round picks.

The Demons will on-trade some of that draft capital to Collingwood for Brodie Grundy if the Pies are prepared to pay up to $300,000 a year of his wage.

The Pies will target a first-round draft pick for Grundy.

Kings random: Dees demand top picks for Jackson

– Jon Ralph

Melbourne will begin negotiations over a trade for Luke Jackson demanding the king-sized ransom of two top-10 selections and with Fremantle the overwhelming favourite to secure his services.

Premiership Demon Jackson on Tuesday officially asked Melbourne for a trade back to Perth after three seasons at the club as a dynamic 198cm ruck-forward.

The Herald Sun revealed in March that he had put off contract talks despite Melbourne’s hope he might remain with the club and sign a long-term deal.

While Fremantle is in the box seat to secure Jackson, a bidding war over his services with West Coast involved can only help the Demons secure maximum compensation.

Melbourne believes he will find his way to Fremantle but West Coast has superior picks at No. 2, 20 and 26.

Fremantle will be able to trade off multiple players to assemble the arsenal of picks it will likely take for a player they have offered a contract of up to seven seasons at $900,000.

Swingman Griffin Logue will make an official decision on his future in the next 24 hours with North Melbourne at the front of the queue, with Carlton also set to secure Blake Acres.

He could announce his decision as early as the Fremantle exit interviews that start Wednesday and run until Friday, with Rory Lobb having told the Dockers he wants to move to the Western Bulldogs.

Fremantle is yet to concede it will trade Lobb but might need the draft pick to secure him given the points value of Melbourne’s request would be similar to the Jeremy Cameron trade to Geelong.

Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson are likely to be teammates next year.

Carlton will hope to use its Liam Jones free agency compensation selection to trade to Fremantle for Blake Acres - likely a third-rounder - and while they might have to improve that selection the Dockers’ initial contract offer for Acres was a one-year deal with a 50 per cent pay cut.

Fremantle will hope to secure Gold Coast’s Jeremy Sharp as a wingman, with the Suns now prepared to allow him to leave for the right compensation despite a deal for 2023.

Uncontracted Gold Coast forward Josh Corbett, who kicked the most VFL goals this year, also looks a good fit at the Dockers.

Melbourne is confident it can secure Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy, believing he and Max Gawn can form the most dynamic ruck combination in the league.

Veterans Michael Hibberd and Jake Melsksham are now both expected to win new contracts at the Demons.

Star small forward Kysaiah Pickett will honour the final year of his current contract despite Port Adelaide’s significant interest in a player who started his career in country West Australia before a stint in Adelaide.

He is close friends with Jackson and speedster Toby Bedford, who has strong interest from clubs including Essendon.

But he will finish his contract that finishes in 2023, with rival clubs sure to make strong pitches for his services.

Melbourne confirmed Jackson’s decision on Tuesday and said the club would attempt to broker a trade with either West Coast or Fremantle.

“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. We will now work to secure a deal that.”

HOW DEES CAN TURN JACKSON LOSS INTO HUGE WIN

Melbourne has a chance to secure a trade bonanza from Luke Jackson’s departure from the club if it plays its cards right and uses every shred of leverage over two AFL rivals.

Jackson is expected to announce he wants a trade home on Tuesday at his exit interview, with West Coast not out of the picture but the young star excited by the Dockers’ lure of becoming an exciting hybrid mid who plays all over the ground.

The Herald Sun revealed in late March that Jackson had put off contract talks and while the football world scoffed at the possibility he would leave the reigning premiers the Demons would have known early he was seriously considering a return home.

Jackson had two finals stinkers but he is a key position player who is only 20 _ he will have a wonderful decade-long career at Fremantle that will be worth the speculated seven-year $6 million deal the Dockers have offered him.

But Melbourne doesn’t have to lose out from the deal.

Melbourne players leave the field after what was likely Luke Jackson’s final game in red and blue. Picture: Getty Images

They will ask for two first-rounders from Fremantle and they are every chance to get them given his brilliant talent and the desperation with which the Dockers have chased him.

The Dockers only have their own first-round pick but by the time Blake Acres, Rory Lobb, potentially Griffin Logue, potentially Darcy Tucker and maybe even Liam Henry depart they will have ample selections.

The most fascinating part now is what the Demons would have to give up if they secure Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy.

The Demons are all in on Grundy.

They believe he and Max Gawn would form the best ruck partnership in the league for the next three to five years, with Gawn contracted to 2025 and Grundy with five years on his existing deal.

The potential for them to ruck in tandem means the Demons have a six-time All Australian and a two-time All Australian - it is on paper as good a ruck combo as we have ever seen in the modern era.

For every minute of every game they play together they will maximise their midfield stars’ output.

The Demons believe Jacob van Rooyen, their first-round pick of this year, is ready to play serious AFL minutes next year as a roving key forward with a strong body and impressive first year in the VFL.

Tom McDonald will be back, and if it is hard to see how Grundy or Gawn works as a forward presence, Melbourne’s coaching department just doesn’t share those concerns.

The Demons are all in on pairing Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy in an unprecedented ruck combination. Picture: AAP Image

When Collingwood traded Adam Treloar to the Dogs they were painted into a corner - they desperately needed his salary off their books and Luke Beveridge and Dogs list boss Sam Power knew it.

In the end not only did the Pies pay $300,000 of his $900,000 deal for the next five years, they gave up what equated to a second-round pick.

They sent 14 and a future second-rounder to the Pies and got back picks 26, 33 and 42.

If the Demons are Grundy’s only suitor - and Geelong have gone cold - then the Pies lose valuable bargaining power.

Dan McStay is coming on $600,000 a year for five years, Bobby Hill will announce Collingwood as his club of choice this week, they are interested in Adelaide’s Billy Frampton (so is St Kilda), Brayden Fiorini is an option, they have kicked the tyres of Tom Mitchell.

They might desperately need Grundy’s salary off their books by the end of trade period.

So Melbourne might hope to secure two first-rounders for Jackson, get Collingwood to pay $300,000 of Grundy’s $1 million per season deal, and only give up a later pick.

With Treloar’s contract it got so messy the parties actually had to secure more time from the AFL to work out how much of his deal the Pies would pay.

In that deal the Pies believed the modest pick they got back for Treloar meant they would pay less of his deal but the Dogs believed they were helping Collingwood with cap space so still needed them to pay $300,000 a year.

Only the Demons know how much cap space they have but could they pay more of his $1 million contract and hand back a later pick or less of his deal and hand over a second-rounder?

Demons fans will be shattered by losing Jackson - even after a year of some huge cameos but mediocre as a whole.

Yet now they get to work on what could still be a win-win unless a rival emerges for Grundy which would tip that negotiation on their head.

Originally published as AFL Trade 2022: Luke Jackson requests trade to Western Australia