Melbourne set to have two top-10 picks in this year’s draft after risky swap with North Melbourne
Echoing the Liam Stocker trade of 2018, North Melbourne has followed in Carlton’s footsteps with a risky pick swap with Melbourne that will have Roos fans barracking against the Demons throughout next season.
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North Melbourne will spend the season desperate for Melbourne to fail after pulling off a pick swap with nearly as much risk as Carlton’s 2018 Liam Stocker trade with Adelaide.
Rhyce Shaw’s Roos will back 17th-placed Melbourne to battle again next year after agreeing to a risky pick swap that sees them hand over pick No.8 this year.
As revealed by the Herald Sun, the Roos will give up their No.8 pick this year but get Melbourne’s 26 and 50, and receive the Demons first-rounder next year.
Melbourne now has picks three and eight, and while there is a small chance the Demons could trade one of those picks tomorrow they will more than likely take them both to the national draft.
The Roos will win the deal from a points perspective, even if the Demons are the 2020 premiers, effectively getting three picks for one.
North swap their pick 8 in the 2019 draft for the Dees 2020 1st round pick, and pick 26 amd 50 in the 2019 draft. Who is the winner?
— Dees/Roos Pick Swap (@DeesPick) October 15, 2019
But, if the Demons finish mid-table or worse, they will cash in with a huge pick haul.
Melbourne has made finals only once since 2007 so, on history alone, the Roos have a huge chance to finish the trade on top.
The Roos believe the draft is particularly even this year so could select the same type of player with pick No.26.
They could also move up the draft again, now having 26, 27, 47 and 50.
The deal will hand Melbourne picks No.3 and No.8 in this year’s draft, a bumper haul that could also see them handing those picks to another club for an established player.
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The Roos have had a quiet trade week, given no interest in Mason Wood, but will back in their established talent to rise up the ladder.
Melbourne football boss Josh Mahoney said the Demons now had more flexibility with their selections.
“Part of our strategy during this trade period was to improve our draft position by using our future picks,” Mahoney he said.
“Next year’s draft will have a high number of talented Academy players, and we value another top selection in this draft.
“Clubs can trade picks right up until the draft and on draft night under AFL rules and having picks 3 and 8 gives us options and flexibility.”
GIANTS WANT DEES PICK SWAP
Greater Western Sydney will continue to push for a pick swap that would see the Demons hand over pick three for the Giants pick six — and potentially hand Melbourne another first rounder next year.
The Giants are keen to get into the draft in the first few selections so they can secure an early pick and then also take Academy star Tom Green, if a club like Sydney bids for him around pick five.
GWS would be prepared to hand Melbourne their first rounder next year to move up three spots, given it will hand it two star talents in the top-five selections this year.
It would mean Melbourne would turn pick three, next year’s first rounder and this year’s 26 and 50 into pick six and pick eight in next month’s draft and a GWS future first rounder.