Brad Hill and Jack Steven among big names who might be traded, but what will clubs have to pay?

A second-round pick for Jack Steven? A third-rounder for Josh Jenkins? Jon Ralph looks at six stars who might find new homes next year and assesses their trade value. Vote and have your say.

Jack Steven is a four-time best and fairest winner. Pic: AAP

Nick Riewoldt says he would hand over St Kilda’s first-round pick for Brad Hill but only if the Saints bring more youth into the side in a separate trade.

He is spot on, because as brilliant as Hill is, you only have to look at this year’s No. 5 pick to look at what you are passing up.

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Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee is a special talent already winning games for the Power, while No. 6 selection Ben King could be the Suns’ centre half forward for a decade.

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So what are this year’s off-season targets actually worth, given handing over a third-string ruckman and a list clogger won’t get Jack Steven to the Cats?

BRAD HILL (FREMANTLE)

Hill is worth the world, given he has only just turned 26 and is one of the hardest-running wingmen in the AFL.

By year’s end he will also have played more than 20 games in six of the past seven seasons.

He said today he hasn’t told the club he wants a trade, but as revealed by the Herald Sun this week, the club already knows he is going with Melbourne suitors lining up.

St Kilda needs pace and class, so should consider giving up pick 5 given this draft isn’t quite so strong.

Then ask for a pick in the 30s back.

With Hill, a fit Dan Hannebery and even Max King playing for them in Round 1, it would off-set any gnashing of teeth over losing a top-five pick.

Their time has to be now given they have stockpiled enough junior talent to rise up the ladder.

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JACK STEVEN (ST KILDA)

Asked for a trade to Geelong last year and might do so again.

He turns 30 in Round 1 next year and has question marks given his mental health issues.

But before this year the four-time best-and-fairest winner had played at least 17 games in the past eight years and 20-plus in seven of the past eight years.

He’s worth pick 20 to 25 given at his best he can give the club four excellent years of service and is a matchwinner who extends the club’s premiership window.

St Kilda could also pay some of his salary in the early years of the deal to ensure the Cats hand over a quality pick, given Geelong wouldn’t be able to absorb his hefty wage.

All of it depends on Geelong’s due diligence.

If they believe he can play years of good footy they shouldn’t be afraid to hand over a pick of this quality.

St Kilda can afford to play hard ball knowing he is contracted and their most talented player.

JACK MARTIN (GOLD COAST)

Mr Potential is yet to deliver consistently but did finish third in the 2016 and 2017 best-and-fairest awards for the Suns. Gold Coast wants to keep him because they know when they come good he will win games for them. But if he does decide to leave, Carlton could hand over pick 11 in a flash for him given they have earmarked Adelaide’s first-round pick as one they will trade.

He will only be 25 in January and will be coming into his peak, able to deliver seven or eight quality years as a hard midfielder who can push forward and kick goals as a crumber or marking mid-sizer.

It’s exactly what they need in their side.

The Suns want to keep him but if he left and they got a priority pick they might have another four picks in the top 18 at this year’s draft given they have the Lions’ first-rounder. Tom Papley is probably worth pick 11 and an extra steak-knives pick given his goal power.

JOSH JENKINS (ADELAIDE)

He turns 31 in February, so has maybe three years at a high level left in his body.

His management is starting to assess whether there is rival interest given him being dropped again, with Jenkins holding his tongue this week despite allegations he had been too open with some of his media comments about internal matters.

The fact remains he is one of only 12 players to average two goals this year and one of only three or four to average two goals a game across six seasons.

He can pinch-hit in the ruck and his pressure game is on AFL average despite perceptions about his lack of tackling and chasing.

He would be a perfect short-term target at a club like Melbourne bemoaning big targets but who has Sam Weideman who in time will be that player.

They should consider giving up a pick at 30-35, which should be enough given the Crows want to rejuvenate their list anyway.

The cap space — $550,000 a year — would help them secure their young list and Brad Crouch as well.

JON PATTON (GWS)

So often in modern football it’s not all about the pick.

Patton leaves for the Hawks and his big 2020 salary instead helps sign free agents Lachie Whitfield, Zac Williams and Jeremy Cameron.

So do you think they are quibbling over whether he’s worth a future third or fourth-round pick?

Hawthorn takes on the risk of a player off three knee reconstructions.

Just as a reminder of their Tom Scully deal, the future fourth-rounder they will hand over to the Giants for that trade is sitting at pick 63.

How good is the value, but again the Giants aren’t bleating about their list right now despite his loss.

ISAAC SMITH (HAWTHORN)

Smith turns 31 in December, but look at his astonishing durability.

In his first season he didn’t debut until Round 7, played Round 8 then played Rounds 13 to the preliminary final for 16 games.

Since then he’s played at least 22 games in the past seven years, missing just six games in that time.

So if the Dogs wanted him they would do so knowing they could get as many as four seasons out of him.

But why would the Hawks let him leave for a chickenfeed pick?

They can play hard ball and say unless they get a pick inside 30, he ain’t leaving.

They have just lost Jarman Impey’s run and need more ball movement from half back and the wing, not less.

They aren’t clearing cap space either, for a player who is still contracted.

Unless they can secure a pick that will get them quality young talent, don’t lose him in a fire sale.

Originally published as Brad Hill and Jack Steven among big names who might be traded, but what will clubs have to pay?