Star midfielder Jaeger O’Meara could be forced to nominate for the AFL national draft

UPDATE: JAEGER O’Meara could be forced into the national draft after Gold Coast yesterday rejected Hawthorn’s “low-ball offer”.

Jaeger O’Meara wants to join the Gold Coast.

HAWTHORN could walk away from negotiations with Gold Coast over midfielder Jaeger O’Meara in a move that could force the Suns’ star into the national draft.

Talks between the two clubs have slowed to a halt with the Suns rejecting the Hawks’ “low-ball offer” of picks 10 and 48.

Outspoken Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane today confirmed that offer would not get the deal done.

“It’s really not at anywhere exciting, I regret to say, after a lot of posturing by Hawthorn over the last month about how exciting this young player is and what they were hoping to do and attract him across to their club,” Cochrane said.

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“The best they could come up as compensation is pick 10 and pick 48 which putting us to one side just for O’Meara’s point of view it’s a pretty low-ball offer for an exciting young star.

“It didn’t even get to me yesterday. Marcus Ashcroft and Scott Clayton were both really professional in everything they do - are terrific operators, do a great job for our footy club - they rejected it yesterday, they didn’t even need to call me to speak to the board, it didn’t even get to our level.”

Hawthorn is no closer to satisfying Gold Coast in a trade for Jaeger O’Meara.

Hawthorn believes a first-round and third-round pick is a fair deal for a player who has not played a single senior game over the past two seasons because of knee injuries.

The Hawks swapped their first pick from next year’s draft in a bid to gain No.10 this year from St Kilda, but it has failed to appease the Suns.

Gold Coast wants a senior player from Hawthorn, but the players targeted have refused to head north.

We're blessed with an enormous trade pick selection ... if ever we were going to make a stand this was the year.

- Tony Cochrane

The stalemate threatens to force O’Meara, 22, into the national draft if the two clubs are unable to agree to a trade deal before Thursday’s 2pm trade deadline.

But Cochrane said the Suns were prepared to lose O’Meara for nothing in order to make a stand against rival clubs raiding the club’s stocks.

“We need to make a stance because if all we’re going to be is a training ground or a training camp for young players to come and join us, (spend) three to five years with us and then immediately go to not just Melbourne but to Adelaide or Perth clubs then we’re never going to stand for much, we’re never going to become much,” he told SEN radio.

“We have to try and claw out our little bit of the territory here.”

Jaeger O'Meara is struggling to get to Hawthorn. Picture: Adam Head

The Suns’ strong hand in the draft - picks 4, 8, 24 and 26 - softens the blow of letting O’Meara walk.

“No one’s fault but Hawthorn picked an appalling year to try and grab somebody like an O’Meara off us and the reason I say that in this particular year... we’ve got an absolutely bottler of a group of trade picks,” he said.

“We’re blessed with an enormous trade pick selection that will be further blessed today (pick No.6 for Dion Prestia) so if ever we were going to make a stand this was the year.”

Cochrane remains hopeful O’Meara could return to the Suns.

“We’d love him to reconsider... I don’t think I burnt any bridges with him, no I do not. I think we’ve gone out of our way to offer him a very exciting two-year deal with lots of additional benefits that I’m not going to go into publicly, I know he’s got a fantastic relationship with all the playing group.”

Sources said last night the club may want to make a statement to deter other players considering walking out on the club next year.

Entering the draft could be a devastating blow for O’Meara, who would have to hope he is not taken by another club before Hawthorn at No.10.

He could choose to enter the pre-season draft, but would certainly be taken by Essendon with the No.1 pick.

O’Meara’s manager, Colin Young, was adamant his client would get to the Hawks.

O’Meara could put a big price on his head to help deter unwanted clubs from taking him in the draft or could sign for only one season. Alternatively, he could spend a year out of the game.

Young met the Suns yesterday in a bid to clinch the deal without success.