AFL trade 2022: Keep up to date with the latest trade news on day four of the exchange period
The Bulldogs have rejected Brisbane’s trade offer for Josh Dunkley and could send him into the pre-season draft. See what it means and all Thursday’s trade news.
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The Western Bulldogs are prepared to roll the dice on Josh Dunkley in the pre-season draft if Brisbane doesn’t meet their trade demands for the star midfielder.
The Dogs want two first-round picks in exchange for Dunkley, but the Lions will only hand over their top two choices (pick 21 and a future first-round pick) if they receive picks 30 and 39 back from the Bulldogs.
The Dogs have knocked that proposal back and have discussed the prospect of letting Dunkley go through to the pre-season draft.
It would be a bold move from the Dogs as Dunkley is out of contract and would be free to be picked up by any team in the pre-season draft if the two clubs failed to reach an agreement by the trade deadline on Wednesday.
The Dogs have also said they would be prepared to discuss some Lions players as part of the deal, but Brisbane only wants to include Rhys Mathieson at this stage.
The Bulldogs are adamant Dunkley is worth two first-round picks, similar to the deal which sent ex-GWS Giants’ midfielder Tim Taranto to Richmond for picks 12 and 19.
The impasse leaves talks on the toughest deal of this year’s trade period at a standstill, with the Bulldogs prepared to take the biggest risk of the post-season by letting Dunkley go in the draft for nothing.
The Bulldogs have an earlier pick (No.11) than Brisbane (13) in the pre-season draft, meaning the Dogs could re-draft Dunkley for next season on a one-year contract.
It is understood the Dogs are willing to welcome him back this way.
Dunkley, 25, has been lauded as one of the most professional and popular members of the playing group and had his best season in 2022 despite a pending trade request.
But Essendon (pick 4) looms as the major threat in the pre-season draft order, as Dunkley also tried to make a move to the Bombers two years ago.
Essendon has significant salary cap room to accommodate Dunkley, 25.
It is the Bulldogs’ preference to grant Dunkley’s wish to be traded to the Gabba after another fine season taking out the club champion award.
But the Dogs are adamant they do not want to give back two second-round picks in the Dunkley deal in line with Brisbane’s demands.
The Dogs initially said they would trade Dunkley for Brisbane’s pick 15 and future first-round selection, but the Lions on Wednesday traded pick 15 to GWS Giants for pick 21 and a future second-round selection.
The Lions have selections 21, 25, 34, 35, 36 and 56 in this year’s draft and are trying to bank enough draft picks and value index points to snare father-son gems Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher.
Jet midfielder Ashcroft will be the No.1 pick in the draft.
The standoff is common for the mid-part of the trade period although Carlton benefited when Gold Coast let Jack Martin through to the pre-season draft three years ago after the Suns knocked back a second-round selection for him.
Lions list boss Dom Ambrogio and Dogs’ list boss Sam Power are renowned as two of the toughest trade negotiators in the game, setting the scene for an intriguing final few days of the trade period next week.
The Dogs secured Adam Treloar from Collingwood for pick 14 and a future second-rounder in the 2020 trade period in a bargain-basement deal for the $900,000-a-year ballwinner.
The Dogs also netted picks 26, 33 and 42 in the deal.
DONE DEAL: SUNS TALL TRADED
Paperwork has been lodged to send Gold Coast forward Josh Corbett to the Dockers.
The Suns receive a future fourth-round draft pick in the deal.
Corbett has played 36 games and kicked 33 goals over four seasons at Gold Coast.
WHERE PIES ARE AT WITH KEY TARGETS
Collingwood is attempting to juggle later draft picks to find the future third-rounder that will get Billy Frampton to the Pies as a back-up defender.
The Pies have already nailed a pair of acquisitions after securing Bobby Hill for a future second-round pick and Dan McStay as an unrestricted free agent.
The club could play hard ball on Adelaide’s Frampton, who might be delisted if the Crows and Pies do not come to a trade arrangement.
But Pies football boss Graeme Wright is being hailed for his capacity to get deals done after agreeing in principle to the Bobby Hill trade weeks ago.
Collingwood currently has picks 50 and 51 and is attempting to rejig its draft order to secure the future third-rounder Adelaide wants to release Frampton.
If the can secure that extra third-rounder, having already handed over a future second-rounder for Hill, the deal will be completed for Frampton on Thursday.
Geelong and Collingwood still need to come to a deal on Ollie Henry, with the Pies keen on a first-rounder for the marking forward after he made an official request to leave to play with brother Jack,
The club’s deal with Gold Coast’s Brayden Fiorini is likely to involve a minor pick slide as Collingwood absorbs his one-year deal and turns it into a three-season $200,000 a year deal.
The Hawks and Pies haven’t had any meaningful talks on the future of Brownlow Medallist Tom Mitchell but he is keen to play under Craig McRae at Collingwood.
WRIGHT CLOSE TO NEW DEAL AFTER TRADE STEAL
Essendon’s cut-price superstar Peter Wright will sit down with the Bombers after the trade period to start contract talks on a deal that expires at the end of the 2023 season.
The Bombers’ canny recruitment of power forward Lynch saw him continue his strong form in 2022 with a 53-goals season that culminated in an unlikely best-and-fairest victory.
In effect the Suns paid for him to become a star at Essendon, paying $100,000 of his $400,000-a-year salary last year and this season before the Dons absorb his entire contract in 2023.
As a best-and-fairest winner he would have cashed in on a contract clause that rewards players for high placings and overall victories in club awards.
But a player who finished only 11 goals behind Carlton star Charlie Curnow is still modestly paid given he finished fifth in that award behind Curnow, Tom Lynch, Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins.
His emergence has lessened the club’s desperation to secure a ready-made key forward because at only 25 he has real upside after 29 and 53-goal seasons.
The Essendon midfield will only improve in coming seasons after a seven-win 2022 season that saw coach Ben Rutten replaced by Brad Scott.
Scott has always played an attacking and aggressive brand so Wright will hope to thrive in a forward line that includes Harrison Jones, Kaine Baldwin and hopefully the Davey twins after they are secured as father-son prospects.
Essendon will turn its mind to whether Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti returns to the club or trains with Fremantle for a summer rookie spot after it gets through the trade period.
RANKINE DEAL LOOMING AS CENTREPIECE REVEALED
Izak Rankine is on the verge of becoming a Crow.
Adelaide had all but sealed a trade with Gold Coast for the out-of-contract South Australian on Wednesday night, centring on sending pick 5 to the Suns.
The deal was expected to be finalised on Thursday.
Rankine, who was drafted with pick 3 in 2018, officially requested to join the Crows – the team he grew up supporting – in late August.
Adelaide was always going to need to part with either its first call this year or next to satisfy the Suns for a player who could quickly become one of the best small forwards in the competition.
Rankine kicked 29.21 for Gold Coast this past season, in what was the best campaign of his career.
The West Adelaide product has booted 57 majors from 48 matches since missing all of his first year in the AFL through injury.
Recruiting Rankine is a coup for the Crows’ rebuild, on the back of luring fellow South Australian Jordan Dawson from Sydney last year.
Port Adelaide was never understood to be in the race for Rankine, who had his heart set on joining the Crows.
The 22-year-old will add to an exciting forward line brimming with top draft talent.
Rankine is expected to play alongside 2020 No. 2 draft pick Riley Thilthorpe, last year’s No. 6 selection Josh Rachele and the much-improved Darcy Fogarty, taken 12th overall in 2017.
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