AFL trade news: St Kilda, Geelong, Adelaide and Essendon among clubs chasing Hugh McCluggage
Brisbane are confident they will keep Hugh McCluggage, with it seeming any club wanting the gun midfielder will be forced to part with multiple first-round draft picks to land the Lion.
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Clubs eyeing Brisbane Lions’ free agent Hugh McCluggage could be forced to part with multiple first-round draft picks to prise the superstar free agent back home to Victoria.
The Lions could become only the second club to match a free agency bid for the brilliant ballwinner, forcing a rival club to stump up multiple early draft selections as part of a trade.
While the Lions are confident of keeping the match winning midfielder, clubs including St Kilda, Geelong, Essendon and Adelaide are expected to come hard for McCluggage.
The 26-year-old would command a salary to move clubs upwards of $1.3 million a year following an increase in the league’s salary cap.
But the Lions would put up an enormous fight to keep McCluggage in the event he wanted to leave by almost certainly going down the same path as GWS Giants who matched a bid for Jeremy Cameron when he left the Giants for Geelong.
The Cats were forced to give up picks 13, 15 and 20 for Cameron and two second-round picks in return.
Under free agency rules, a player’s club can match a bid for a restricted free agent after eight years at the club, forcing a bigger return at the trade table.
The Lions could ask for a top-10 pick plus more, which could turn off rival clubs.
St Kilda and Adelaide are on the hunt for more midfield class, while Essendon will scour the free agency market for more top-end talent. Fremantle also has three first-round picks to add more A-Graders.
McCluggage is one of the best wingmen in the competition and has also shone in an inside midfield role.
But the Lions are going to hit the jackpot at this year’s draft as they look to amass more draft points to land gun Sandringham Dragons midfielder and father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft as well as a pair of academy prospects including exciting 201cm tall Tom Gillett and playmaker Sam Marshall.
The AFL spoke to all clubs on Tuesday as part of plans to overhaul the draft system including the academy and father-son selections.
Clubs want the changes to be introduced next year as they have already planned for this year’s draft.
The Lions would be one of the most affected if the changes are introduced this year, making clubs pay more to draft academy and father-son players.
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Originally published as AFL trade news: St Kilda, Geelong, Adelaide and Essendon among clubs chasing Hugh McCluggage
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