Ralphy’s trade wrap: Hawks lead Chol chase, Shiel to the Saints gaining steam?
The Suns pick 10 is on the table, and with a sweetened deal, one team could trade their way into three picks inside the top 14. Jon Ralph has the latest trade news.
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Hawthorn is the club which has shown the most early interest in Mabior Chol ahead of North Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.
The Hawks are desperate to find another key position forward who can play ruck after the departure of Jacob Koschitzke to Richmond.
Chol is due around $425,000 a season for two more years but given the interest clubs might have to offer him three or even four seasons to secure his services.
Adelaide will likely find the price too high and the Roos’ interest is so far modest.
But while Chol’s efforts can fluctuate midgame he did kick 44 goals in 2022.
He would likely be available for a future second-rounder given the Suns have solved their cap issues but would get his deal off their books.
The Suns will sign former Sydney premiership player Nick Malceski as a development coach as the assistant coaching merry-go-round continues.
The AFL could approve a St Kilda-Essendon free agency-trade swap involving Jade Gresham and Dylan Shiel but it would be rigorously checked before being ticked off.
Every trade and free agency move includes a recorded meeting with the clubs and a staffer from the AFL’s legal and integrity team to assess its bona fides.
The clubs are asked about whether it is part of a bigger deal with secondary trades, but clubs can be involved in multiple deals.
Richmond and GWS did deals for Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper which were linked — the Tigers gave up picks 12 and 19 for Taranto and a future first and pick 31 for Hopper.
But both were seen to be fair value.
Clubs cannot trade a selection in one deal then trade it back with another, but Gresham could move to the Dons as a free agent, which would create a draft pick.
Then St Kilda could trade a later pick back to Essendon for Shiel, who turns 31 in March.
St Kilda would not be allowed to top up Gresham’s salary to ensure they secured first-round compensation.
But Essendon would be allowed to pay some of Shiel’s deal while he played at St Kilda given an explosion of clubs trading players then paying some of their remaining wage.
So while there are hurdles to jump — and probing questions to be asked if the deal proceeds — there is a way for it to eventuate.
Adelaide and Melbourne will be keen to secure another top 10 pick if the Suns end up trading pick 4 to the Western Bulldogs.
There is even a scenario where the Demons could end up with three picks within the first 13.
At this stage North Melbourne’s suite of end-of-first-round picks will still not be enough to see them secure pick 4 from the Suns.
The Dogs are offering picks 10, 17 and a future first-rounder — and would likely secure a third-rounder back from the Suns — which adds up to around 3500 draft points if the Dogs finished eighth next year.
Even if the Roos offered up their current pick 14 and two of those end-of-first-round picks their trade package would only come up to 3000 points.
And securing pick 10 from the Dogs — instead of the Roos pick 14 — would be much more advantageous.
Both the Crows and Demons have multiple second-rounders and one of that pair could trade them to the Suns for pick 10.
So the Suns get more points and one of Adelaide — currently with pick 9 — or Melbourne — currently with the Dockers’ 5 and 13 _ get the Suns pick 10.
Adelaide has picks 21 and 24 to the Demons’ 25 and 33, so the Crows are in the box seat.
But if the Demons found a way to sweeten that deal their draft hand could be five, 10 and 13.
Sydney has no recourse to dock co-captain Callum Mills’ salary despite the Mad Monday incident that saw him tear his rotator cuff, jeopardising his 2024 season.
The Swans could cite him under the code of conduct but the maximum fine under AFLPA rules is $5000.
He signed a six-year deal with the Swans in 2022 that extends through to 2029, so they might not get much value out of his $800,000-plus salary next year.
But it does put another nail in the coffin of Mad Monday and football trips.
Richmond has an official minder with a group of players who have been on an informal footy trip in Thailand.
Coach Adem Yze strongly defended the practice over the weekend, saying he made some of his strongest bonds with teammates on footy trips.
Geelong’s new footy boss Andrew Mackie has confirmed all of Tom Hawkins, Rhys Stanley, Gary Rohan and Zach Tuohy will play on as the Cats play hard ball on Esava Ratugolea.
Mackie said on Thursday while the club was still working on new deals for the quartet their futures were assured.
It comes after contracted midfielder Brandon Parfitt committed to building his tank to become an elite two-way runner as he decided not to explore rival interest.
The Cats are still making clear they might attempt to keep Ratugolea — or trade him to a club like Hawthorn prepared to give up a quality pick.
But with Port Adelaide looking at options to split early picks it would surprise if Ratugolea didn’t eventually end up at the Power.
Clubs are taking a second look at VFL Grand Final star Shaun Mannagh, who set the game alight with six goals and 27 possessions for Werribee in the loss to Gold Coast.
The former Ovens and Murray league star is only 26, and his VFL Grand Final performance was no one-off.
In his 21 games this year he averaged 25 possessions and 1.9 goals a game, including four goals and 40 possessions against Southport and seven goals from 25 possessions against Sandringham.
Both those teams finished out of the top 10 so his Grand Final against a quality side was important.
Clubs believe he could play as a pressuring forward who wins his own ball at AFL level.
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