AFLW trade: Deadline day plot can score Western Bulldogs best draft hand in history

Wooden-spooners the Western Bulldogs are plotting a deadline day trade strategy that would deliver them the best draft hand in AFLW history.

Gabby Newton is set to be traded by the Western Bulldogs.Picture: Michael Klein

Western Bulldogs are plotting a deadline day trade strategy that would deliver them the best draft hand in AFLW history.

This masthead understands the wooden-spooners could walk away from Thursday’s 2.30pm trade deadline holding three of the first six selections in Monday’s draft.

That would edge the 2019 hand of picks No.1, 6, 8 and 9 that also belonged to the Bulldogs.

While the 2023 talent pool is not viewed as the strongest, and several talents have already been pre-listed by expansion clubs, snaring three prized Victorian players would help rejuvenate the once-proud AFLW pioneers.

The Dogs are still without a senior coach after crashing to a 1-9 season and then sacking coach Nathan Burke.

They currently hold picks No.1, 22 and 61. But wheeling and dealing on Thursday is set to significantly fatten their draft hand as they inch towards striking trades for departing Dogs Gabby Newton (Fremantle), Kirsty Lamb (Port Adelaide) and Katie Lynch (Gold Coast).

Newton was drafted by the Dogs at No.1 in 2019. She is likely to be exchanged for the Dockers’ No.6 pick in what is tipped to be one of the final trades lodged.

While some might see that as accepting unders, there was a view that the package of deals the Dogs have designs on would see them come up trumps overall.

Lamb, 29, is an All-Australian and premiership midfielder while Lynch also has All-Australian honours.

Gabby Newton is set to leave the Western Bulldogs for Fremantle. Picture: Michael Klein

Despite the absence of a senior coach, the Dogs have been among the busiest clubs this trade period.

They will almost certainly bring in Suns duo Lauren Ahrens and Jasmyn Smith on Thursday after already poaching Ellie Gavalas and Vaomua Laloifi from Carlton and Zimmorlei Farquharson from Brisbane Lions.

Gavalas and Laloifi were recruited by the Blues from the Dogs’ 2019 VFLW program. The Dogs gave up Celine Moody to secure that pair.

Thursday promises to be hectic for AFLW list managers with several trade dominoes still to fall.

This masthead revealed that talks between Essendon and Melbourne late on Tuesday night had finally progressed a potential trade for Maddi Gay after a week of failed and largely unproductive talks.

Both clubs were confident on Wednesday night that Gay would become a Bomber by Thursday’s deadline.

Several scenarios involving different clubs are being thrown around to get the deal done after the clubs started negotiations poles apart.

Melbourne wanted pick 13 and a sweetener for its premiership midfielder whereas the Bombers had been determined to not only retain No.13, but also keep a second pick while bringing in Gay and Gold Coast’s Bess Keaney.

There is a sense across the AFLW industry that money was not the driving factor behind the flood of trades being signed off on.

The majority of players switching clubs are searching for greater opportunity or security rather than a fatter contract.

Originally published as AFLW trade: Deadline day plot can score Western Bulldogs best draft hand in history