Jaeger O’Meara drops bomb on Gold Coast teammates, telling them he wants to be traded

JAEGER O’Meara eyeballed the Gold Coast playing group to tell them he was requesting a trade, but Suns chairman Tony Cochrane says his decision to leave is still a slap in the face.

Jaeger O'Meara told teammates he would be leaving the Suns. Picture: Adam Head

JAEGER O’Meara eyeballed the Gold Coast playing group on Thursday to tell them he was requesting a trade out of the Suns.

But Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane says O’Meara’s decision to leave the club is still a slap in the face.

O’Meara’s departure and the impending exit of vice-captain Dion Prestia, who has been linked to Richmond, rips the heart out of the Gold Coast’s first-choice midfield.

O’Meara, 22, played all 44 games in 2013 and 2014 after joining the club in late 2011 as a 17-year-old.

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But the 2013 Rising Star winner has not played a senior game since after wrecking his knee in a NEAFL practice match in April 2015.

The gun midfielder played three NEAFL matches late this season in a short-lived comeback before requiring more surgery.

Cochrane said the club would play hardball in trade talks after investing so much into the boom Western Australia junior.

“The club traded two first-round selections to the GWS Giants to secure Jaeger as a 17-year-old, spent 12 months developing him prior to him being eligible to make his AFL debut, saw him impress on the field in his first two seasons,’’ Cochrane said.

“(The club) have then spent the last two seasons investing time and resources into rehabilitating his knee following multiple surgeries with the club’s utmost support.

“As Jaeger doesn’t qualify as a free agent, AFL rules dictate he holds no rights to determine his destination of choice.

“With that being the case, Jaeger is on the market to a club that can provide us compensation we are prepared to accept.

“Should an appropriate exchange not be met he will have the option to enter the draft.

“It’s the right time for the club to make a stance.’’

Hawthorn, Carlton and North Melbourne are in the race for O’Meara, whose girlfriend lives in Melbourne.

North Melbourne have salary cap space to burn after showing the door to veterans Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Nick Dal Santo and Michael Firrito.

Hawthorn also have room to move after veterans Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson and Shaun Burgoyne re-signed on reduced deals.

Collingwood could also enter the fray after Dane Swan’s retirement.

At his best O’Meara is worth two first-round draft picks but a big question mark remains over his knee.

The Suns have plenty of draft picks at their disposal so would be looking at ready-made players.

If a deal cannot be done, O’Meara would go through to the pre-season draft where Essendon should have the No.1 pick.

Originally published as Jaeger O’Meara drops bomb on Gold Coast teammates, telling them he wants to be traded