Brisbane Lions prepared to trade No.1 draft pick if they receive the right deal

BRISBANE’S No.1 draft pick is up for trade - for the right deal - after the Lions picked up their first wooden spoon since 1998.

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan after the loss to North Melbourne.

BRISBANE’S No.1 draft pick is up for trade for the right deal.

The Lions claimed their first wooden spoon since 1998 after losing to the Kangaroos at the Gabba on Saturday but are not locked into taking the first selection in the national draft.

The No.1 draft pick is generally considered sacrosanct but Brisbane had great success turning the No.2 selection last year into multiple picks that secured Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry.

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The Lions traded pick two, 33 and 50 to GWS for picks 3 and 17.

Brisbane had their eyes on McCluggage all year but knew the Giants were committed to Tim Taranto.

They leapt at the opportunity to still secure McCluggage with a lower pick and also add another selection in the first round.

Hugh McCluggage was pick No.3 last year. Picture: Michael Klein

Jarrod Berry has been impressive in his debut season.

Berry has been a great find. He has already extended his contact beyond the standard two years for draftees and appears to be a future leader of the club.

The Lions are willing to look at again turning the pick into multiple picks but will also explore the potential of trading the pick for a player.

Brisbane are the youngest list in the competition and are looking to bolster their ranks of elite experienced players.

Should free agent Tom Rockliff decide to leave Brisbane, the desire for an A-grade midfielder in their prime would intensify.

The Lions have not publicly entered the race for any of the big name off-contract stars this year, such as Dustin Martin or Josh Kelly, and have only confirmed their interest in Crows forward Charlie Cameron.

Coach Chris Fagan said after the disappointing season-ending 51-point loss to the Kangaroos that a hybrid midfielder topped his wish list.

Charlie Cameron is on Brisbane’s wantlist this off-season.

The Lions have been regularly beaten out of the middle of the ground this season.

GWS were prepared to offer their top pick in 2012 to secure Lance Franklin but were outmanoeuvred by Sydney.

Lions CEO Greg Swann said the club’s list management committee would meet this week and there had been no solid strategy locked away yet.

However, he confirmed trading the pick was a viable option.

“Nothing is off the table,’’ he said.

“I think we showed last year we are open for business and are prepared to make deals.’’

The last club to trade away the first pick in the draft was Fremantle in 2001 for Hawk Trent Croad. It became one of the great trading wins of all time for Hawthorn who picked four-time premiership star Luke Hodge in the draft. They also lured Croad back two years later and he went on to play in their 2008 premiership.

The Hawks also sent homesick key position player Luke McPharlin to the Dockers for additional draft picks.

McPharlin became a great player for the Docker but the Hawks feel like they won that one too, securing 2008 premiership captain Sam Mitchell with one of the picks.

Originally published as Brisbane Lions prepared to trade No.1 draft pick if they receive the right deal