How Geelong plans to land three former first-round draft picks and Conor McKenna during the trade period
Only weeks after winning the premiership, Geelong is set for a massive trade period. This is how the Cats plan to pick up a host of young guns and who could be on the way out.
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Geelong could be one of the major winners of this year’s exchange period as the reigning premier circles three former first-round draft picks and eyes a free swing at former Bomber Conor McKenna.
The Cats have significant salary cap room and have zeroed in on Tanner Bruhn (GWS), Ollie Henry (Collingwood), Jack Bowes (Gold Coast) and McKenna (ex-Essendon) as part of plans to remain in the premiership mix beyond 2023.
And in a remarkable twist, Gold Coast could hand over Bowes as well as pick seven to Geelong in the same deal if the Cats agree to pay all of Bowes’ $800,000-a-year salary over the next two seasons.
It would hand the Cats their earliest draft pick since they snared retired champion captain Joel Selwood with pick seven in 2006 and add Bowes, another classy defender-midfielder to Chris Scott’s arsenal.
The remarkable two-for-one deal has raised eyebrows around the league with former Carlton chief Stephen Silvagni saying the extraordinary offer brings into question whether the Suns have been given too many draft concessions.
The Cats are fighting with Essendon for Bowes, while Hawthorn is also believed to have some interest in the Cairns’ product.
The Bombers like Bowes and are also keen to get their hands on pick seven to add to their stockpile of top young talents including Ben Hobbs, Harry Jones, Zac Reid, Archie Perkins and Nik Cox.
Bruhn is set on landing at Geelong to be closer to family, while the Cats can add McKenna for nothing in the supplemental selection period as part of a free-hit once the exchange period closes.
Importantly, McKenna would add some vital speed to Geelong’s defensive or forward half, although Brisbane, St Kilda and Port Adelaide are also interested in the Irish speedster and will ramp up talks over the next few weeks.
McKenna, 26, is certainly on his way back to Australia after quitting Essendon at the end of 2020 to spend some time at home in Ireland playing Gaelic football.
But recruiters have kept close tabs on the former Bomber and have been aware he has remained interested in coming back to Australia once the Covid-19 lockdowns ended.
The moves mean the October exchange period looms as a bumper post-season for Geelong chiefs, who would be thrilled to land Bruhn, Bowes and pick seven, as well as McKenna, coming off an 81-point grand final win over Sydney Swans at the weekend.
However, versatile big man Esava Ratugolea could explore his options after struggling for senior opportunities playing four games this year, and 59 matches in five seasons. GWS is considering some tall players and will be involved in a deal with the Cats over Bruhn.
The Cats have also declared some interest in Collingwood forward Henry, but the Magpies are reluctant to lose the second-year goal kicker and are adamant there is room for him in the bolstered forward setup next season.
Henry, who is from Geelong Falcons, received only a modest contract offer from Collingwood and spent the weekend celebrating his brother, Jack, who played in the Cats’ premiership win.
Bowes will weigh-up his prospects at Geelong and Essendon over the next week with two years remaining on his bumper contract at the Suns.
The Suns want to off-load Bowes’ salary as they look to keep other gun players including Matthew Rowell and Noah Anderson and add some targeted free agents to help join the top-four contenders in the next few years.
But Silvagni said the generous Bowes plus pick seven offer suggests the league had been too generous with the draft pick concessions.
“I’m looking at what they were given a couple of years ago,” Silvagni told the league website.
“And now they (Suns) are going ‘here you go, we don’t need this pick because we got ourselves in a bit of trouble with the cap’.
“You have just got to question that.”
SEVERAL CLUBS TRYING TO TEMPT LIVEWIRE OUT OF DEMONS
Jon Ralph
Melbourne has offered lightning small forward Toby Bedford a three-year deal as it attempts to ward off interest from multiple clubs including GWS.
The next generation academy forward played 16 games for the Demons this year but in eight of them was the unused sub and is keen for more opportunity.
That could be at the Demons but it remains to be seen whether they can fulfil their promise to get him into the senior team as more than a bit-parts player next year.
Bedford has met with GWS as they attempt to bolster a forward line that will lose Bobby Hill to Collingwood but will see Brent Daniels returning from a serious lisfranc injury.
Bedford kicked 9.3 this year and has serious pace after being taken by the Demons after he moved to Melbourne after growing up in Fitzroy Crossing, three hours from the West Australian town of Halls Creek.
His father grew up in Halls Creek and his mother was raised on the Mornington Peninsula, with Bedford moving to Victoria at eight years of age where he boarded at Melbourne Grammar.
He will make a decision in coming days with Essendon an early suitor and other clubs also in the picture.
Despite reports, the Bombers’ interest has cooled and they are not considered a current contender.
They will instead recruit the Davey twins as father sons and already have small forward Tex Wanganeen on its list.
The Demons could yet lose fellow speedster Jayden Hunt to West Coast after he met with the Eagles in recent days.
He is allowed to sign with West Coast as early as Friday’s opening of the free agency period as an unrestricted free agent.
Hunt’s return to the senior side allowed Angus Brayshaw to play more midfield time and with his dash he is the kind of player the Eagles would love as a line-breaker.
He played 20 games this year and while he averaged only 10 possessions he bounced back from a tough 2021 year in which he was injured late and couldn’t win back his spot in the premiership side.
The Demons continue to negotiate with Fremantle on a deal for Luke Jackson that could net them two top-10 selections or two first-rounders and a second-rounder.
They will then hand on a selection to Collingwood for Brodie Grundy, who has made clear he is happy to be traded to the Demons after being forced out by the Pies.
Toby Bedford was electric yesterday, kicking three goals 🔥
— Casey Demons (@CaseyDemonsFC) July 31, 2022
Courtesy of King Gee Australia, enjoy his highlights pic.twitter.com/S563GbTwJE
WILL DEES TRADE OUT OF FAVOUR FORWARD?
Jay Clark
Melbourne has no plans to trade out-of-favour forward Sam Weideman to another club in next month’s trade period.
Clubs on the lookout for a key forward are weighing up the goal kicker who is keen to explore more senior opportunities elsewhere.
Weideman played 10 matches this year and 59 for his career across seven seasons.
And he faces the prospect of being leapfrogged by first-year key forward Jacob van Rooyen next year following an excellent debut season in the VFL in 2022.
While Weideman has struggled to cement himself in the club’s best 22 again this year, Melbourne at this stage does not intend to trade the 195cm forward.
If Weideman was to request a trade next month, it is unlikely Melbourne would receive much in return in the form of a late draft pick based on his form this season.
His best fit elsewhere could be Essendon which is keen to bolster its marking options in the forward half after missing out on Gold Coast’s Ben King.
But the Demons want to hold on to Weideman in the hope he has a career-best season as an agile forward next year.
Max Gawn tipped Weideman to be the club’s biggest improver in 2022 but the tall failed to make much of an impression at the top level.
Melbourne want to bring in Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy to replace outgoing ruck-forward Luke Jackson and plan to play Gawn in big chunks forward next year.
It means Weideman could come into the frame to take Ben Brown’s spot next year if van Rooyen doesn’t beat him to it.
Weideman is on the lookout for more senior opportunities after playing 59 games across seven seasons in red and blue.
But the club has a preference to keep him to the final year of his contract which was a two-year extension at the end of 2021.
Melbourne is excited by van Rooyen’s development and upside as an AFL swing man.
Van Rooyen came into the frame to be selected in place of Brown in the final series.
How Port can make or break the Jackson deal
Port Adelaide looms as the key to helping Fremantle unlock the first-round pick swap which can secure the trade for Luke Jackson.
Fremantle currently has pick 14 and is talking to clubs higher in the draft order in order to nab a pick inside the top 10 to pass on to the Demons for Jackson.
Melbourne wants two first-round picks for Jackson, including at least one selection inside in the top 10, from Fremantle.
The Power is open to shuffling back several spots in the first round of the draft, which could see the club swap its pick 8 for Fremantle’s pick 14.
Port Adelaide would receive at least one second-round pick from Fremantle as extra incentive to move six spots backwards in the first round.
The deal would mean the Dockers are armed with a prized top-10 selection to give to Melbourne to seal the deal for Jackson.
Fremantle would have to package together a top-10 pick from this year’s draft with its future first-round pick from next year’s draft to satisfy the Demons.
But Port Adelaide is holding the upper hand in the negotiations as the club is happy to hold on to pick 8, and the Power won’t do the deal unless it benefits them.
Port has prioritised its dealings with West Coast for hardworking small forward Junior Rioli and is also interested in Richmond hard nut Jack Graham.
Rioli looms as a massive boost for the Power after the club swooped on him following a low-ball offer from the Eagles.
Rioli has strong family connections with South Australia and is keen to move there to help some key family members through some issues.
Port is well-placed to remain in the top-four mix with the addition of Rioli and potentially Graham, although the Tigers are keen to keep the South Australian midfielder.
The Power missed out on the signature of Western Bulldog Josh Dunkley as the onballer looks to complete a move to Brisbane.
Jackson has also spoken to West Coast, but is keen to join Fremantle as part of its tilt at the flag next season.
The No. 3 draft pick is considered one of the best young talls in the competition after helping lead Melbourne to a premiership in 2021.
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Originally published as How Geelong plans to land three former first-round draft picks and Conor McKenna during the trade period
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