Sydney’s Zak Jones likely to join Bradley Hill at St Kilda during AFL trade period
St Kilda might be preparing to farewell four-time best and fairest winner Jack Steven but reinforcements are on the way, with news a Sydney ballwinner will join another speedster at Moorabbin.
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St Kilda’s need for speed will be solved next month when Zak Jones and Bradley Hill are traded to Moorabbin.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands Jones toured the Saints’ home late last week and also underwent a medical examination.
St Kilda is supremely confident the Sydney dasher will follow Hill by requesting a trade to play under coach Brett Ratten in 2020.
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A second-round draft pick is expected to be the main plank in a trade for the 24-year-old.
While St Kilda does not hold a pick in the second or third rounds, it should receive a selection around that mark when goalkicker Josh Bruce is traded to Western Bulldogs.
Sydney is unlikely to put up much resistance given Jones is out of contract and has not finished in the top 10 of the best-and-fairest the past two seasons.
While the Victorian brings some much-needed zip, his foot skills can also be a touch unreliable which dampens his value.
Leg speed is in vogue given Richmond’s powerful pace from the back half has helped spear the Tigers into Saturday’s Grand Final on the back of 11 consecutive wins.
The Saints might have to cough up their No.5 draft pick to secure triple premiership player Hill from the Dockers.
But this year’s draft is considered among the most even in recent memory and some clubs will be happy to choose multiple players a little bit deeper.
The quality has slightly dipped from last year, although it is next year’s pool which is of greater concern for recruiters who have had their eyes on the futures market.
While more prospects should emerge in the next 12 months, a lot of the top talent for 2020 is already tied to clubs either as father-son prospects or through talent academies.
The open market is looking very slim and that could see clubs that don’t have priority access to the best talent happy to trade out a year in advance.
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One player likely to fit into the top 20 is Finlay Macrae, the impressive younger brother of All-Australian Western Bulldogs midfielder Jack.
There could also be a second trade period brought in for 2020 with club bosses recently briefed about the possibility of a pre-season exchange period.
The AFL wants more player movement and the latest concept discussed would see clubs able to strike deals between the JLT Community Series and Round 1.
RICHO’S BEEFED-UP DEES ROLE
Former St Kilda coach Alan Richardson is set to be unveiled as Melbourne’s director of coaching.
While the Demons recently announced that Richardson would be on-board for 2020 they did not disclose his job title.
It is understood that Richardson will not be a line or development coach but instead hold a senior position in the footballdepartment.
He will be there primarily to support senior coach Simon Goodwin.
But the Dees’ footy structure won’t change with Richardson, Goodwin and high-priced new fitness boss Darren Burgess all expectedto report to football boss Josh Mahoney.
Originally published as Sydney’s Zak Jones likely to join Bradley Hill at St Kilda during AFL trade period