AFL Trade 2023: Who Melbourne could target after Tom Hawkins interest

The Demons made a swing for Tom Hawkins and missed. But with a loaded draft bag and a heap of cap space, who could be next to complete the forward line puzzle?

Melbourne key forward targets art

If the Demons have opened up a champagne budget they have so far chosen to not spend beer money to fill their forward-line hole.

After this masthead revealed Melbourne made a last-ditch play to pry out-of-contract champion Tom Hawkins from Geelong, the industry began wondering what was next for the 2021 premiers.

A mega deal on Wednesday helped move Melbourne further up the draft order and opened the door for the Dees to go after West Coast’s No. 1 pick.

Tom Hawkins pushed back on an offer from Melbourne. Picture: Brad Fleet

Defender Steven May opined that his Demons were better than Collingwood this year but a poor forward half cancelled premiership hopes.

The Dees were not seen as suitors for second-tier forwards on the market this year such as Mabior Chol or Jacob Koschitzke.

Melbourne already has role-playing talls on the list in Ben Brown, Josh Schache or Tom McDonald so if a possible $1.4m of cap space opens up once Brodie Grundy leaves, the club may be smarter to go after the big fish rather than the minnows.

The Dees are planning to bring Shane McAdam and Tom Fullarton into the front half but neither would have solved the finals woes.

Carlton insists Harry McKay is going nowhere. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Tom Lynch would solve Melbourne’s forward woes. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

To solve that puzzle now, would Melbourne go chips-in for Coleman medallist Harry McKay?

Carlton has publicly said it has no interest in trading him but would surely have to have a meeting if picks 6 and 11 were put on the table.

It’s unlikely, but how quickly would a deal based around pick No. 6 accelerate Richmond’s list refurb in exchange for Tom Lynch?

Experienced Docker Matt Taberner was an elite marking forward just a few years ago and at 30 could surely be prised out of Fremantle.

Perhaps Tim Membrey could be keen on a fresh start, Magpie Ash Johnson could realise he is stuck down the pecking order and be open to change, or highly-rated Cat Shannon Neale could be ready to step out of the long shadow cast by Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron.

But if you ask Melbourne fans, outside of the longshots of Lynch and McKay, those names aren’t moving the needle.

The entire AFL will be watching Ben King closely. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

And there are some big fish in next year’s pool.

There will be a genuine feeding frenzy around the league next year as Ben King enters the final year of his contract.

The star full-forward will have Damien Hardwick in his ear all year to sign up but the Demons would be foolish to not whisper sweet nothings for 12 months.

Port Adelaide spearhead Todd Marshall, will be a restricted free agent at the end of next year and Sydney jet Logan McDonald is also due to come out of contract.

Further down the line, Oscar Allen is off contract in 2025 and Max King in 2026.

After reading about the last-ditch effort for Hawkins, one player manager on Wednesday questioned why the Demons didn’t try earlier or even get in the ear of Lachie Schultz before Collingwood.

Melbourne has cap flexibility and a huge sway of draft capital now and the premiership window won’t be open forever.

The Dees can strike now for a cheap forward or save that champagne budget.