AFL Trade Period: Jack Bowes chooses Geelong, Richmond needs to increase its offer for Jacob Hopper
Days after winning the 2022 premiership, Geelong is set to dominate the trade period – and have a great hand at the draft. Here’s how they can pull it off.
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Geelong has plans to take a top-end talent at the draft with the pick 7 it will acquire from Gold Coast as part of the Jack Bowes deal.
The Cats hit the trade period jackpot on Wednesday when Bowes chose Geelong over Hawthorn, Essendon and St Kilda to continue his career next season.
Geelong want Bowes, 24, to push for an inside midfield berth next season as part of plans to replenish the engine room following Joel Selwood’s retirement.
But there is a significant sweetener in the two-for-one deal with the Suns set to hand over pick 7 if, as expected, the Cats absorb Bowes’ $800,000 a year salary for 2023-24.
Geelong plans to hold on to the prized draft pick, which will allow the club to take its earliest selection in the draft since Selwood arrived at pick 7 in 2006.
The Cats are eyeing Geelong Falcons’ hard nut midfielder Jhye Clark, if the Queenscliff product is not already taken earlier in the order.
It looms as a bumper trade period for the Cats, who are also in talks with Collingwood over forward Ollie Henry and GWS for midfielder Tanner Bruhn.
The club is also keen on ex-Essendon speedster Conor McKenna.
Geelong would be one of the major winners from the trade period if it can effectively pull off moves for four first-round talents plus McKenna on the back of a premiership.
Bruhn (pick 12) and Henry (pick 17) were both taken in the top 20 of the 2020 national draft, while Bowes was snared by the Suns with pick 10 in 2014.
Bowes was restricted to five games this year because of a serious shoulder injury, but drew strong interest from the Cats’ list boss Andrew Mackie months ago.
Geelong was eager to add more talent into its midfield mix for next season with Selwood hanging up the boots and Patrick Dangerfield a chance to spend more time forward.
Bowes met with Geelong officials on Tuesday morning and Essendon Wednesday afternoon but the controversy surrounding the resignation of the Bombers’ new chief executive Andrew Thorburn is unlikely to have helped Essendon’s cause.
Geelong will ramp up talks with Gold Coast on the Bowes’ trade deal, which could cost the Cats a future second-round pick to clinch the trade.
Importantly, smart management of the Cats’ salary cap means the reigning premier has significant salary cap room after missing out on the signature of GWS midfielder Jacob Hopper and moving on from Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy.
The Suns are keen to add picks in next year’s draft, but had to off-load Bowes as part of a massive salary dump to recalibrate their books.
Gold Coast wants to be in apposition to add some star free agents as it attempts to enter the top-four mix in the next few years.
But some bloated salaries attached to some recent re-signings were at risk of holding the club back.
Collingwood wants a first-round pick for Henry, but the Cats are talking to the Magpies about moving on a lesser selection for the homesick goalkicker.
McKenna is likely to find a new home in the supplemental selection period and has also attracted strong interest from Brisbane.
Tiger who could be pushed out in Hopper deal
– Jon Ralph
Greater Western Sydney will gauge Ivan Soldo’s interest in a move to New South Wales as the potential deal-clincher in the Jacob Hopper trade to Richmond.
The Giants traded uncontracted star mid Tim Taranto for picks 12 and 19 on Monday and are now horse-trading with Richmond on a deal for contracted mid Hopper.
Richmond has only this year’s No.31 draft selection and a future first-rounder to offer for Hopper, who is arguably more valuable given he is contracted at GWS.
The Herald Sun revealed last month Canberra-raised Soldo might be a key part of the trade given he has been pushed out of the Richmond side.
The Western Bulldogs made a strong play for Soldo last year but instead he signed a three-year contract extension through to 2024, playing 13 games and none after round 19.
GWS has injury and suspension-prone Braydon Preuss, Matt Flynn and Kieren Briggs on its list of ruckmen but none has emerged as a player the club can depend upon.
Soldo is only 26 so would provide solid service to the elite GWS midfield, and given Flynn is a free agent next year it would be a prudent move to bring in an elite tap ruckman.
Richmond has few other players of real interest to GWS and has no more picks to give up so if Soldo can be convinced about a move he could be the third element along with pick 31 and the future first-rounder.
The Tigers would be confident that they could get strong ruck service out of co-captain Toby Nankervis and Ben Miller, with Noah Balta also capable of playing ruck.
The Tigers’ 206cm project ruckman Samson Ryan and Category B player Mate Colina, who is 213cm, are also on the list.
There seems little chance Hopper will be held to his contract as long as the Tigers can sweeten their current offer of those two strong picks.
“We need to strengthen it a little bit. Richmond have been great, but they only have certain assets left,” GWS football boss Jason McCartney said on Trade Radio.
“It’s been talked about a little bit about Ivan. There is something there we will do some follow up on. “If you are going to facilitate a deal on a contracted player you don’t want to be scrambling in the last couple of days. There is a lot of work going in there. He will be one we will have a conversation about and do some work on. You have to make sure your medicals check out before you push the button on any player transaction.”
“We’re mindful he has requested the trade, we will work through it. Richmond have been really good in their conversations around it.”
GWS will offer pick 43 to Melbourne for skilful half forward Toby Bedford but the Demons offered him a three-season deal and will be intent upon securing an earlier selection.
GWS currently has selections 3, 12, 19 and 21 but if they secure pick 31 from Richmond in the Hopper deal the Demons might attempt to secure that selection for Bedford.
The Giants have already secured a future second-round pick from Collingwood for small forward Bobby Hill.
Originally published as AFL Trade Period: Jack Bowes chooses Geelong, Richmond needs to increase its offer for Jacob Hopper
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