AFL trade news: Live updates and news from day 9 of the AFL trade period

Western Bulldogs list boss Sam Power is set to make a number of pivotal decisions in the final hour of this year’s trade period. JON RALPH breaks them all down here.

The Western Bulldogs are facing an Hour of Power on Wednesday night as their list boss decides whether to blink on deals worth two top 25 picks and $1.5 million in cap space.

Dogs list boss Sam Power will have to make key calls that could set up the club’s next premiership run given a trio of deals that still remain no further to completion.

The club and their rivals expect that all three of the deals will be completed - or aborted - within the final hour of a 10-day trade week.

The AFL trade period finishes at 7.30pm on Wednesday, with no trades possible until 2pm on that day as the league attempts to maximise the drama of the day.

Sam Power looks likely to have a very busy last hour of the trade period. Picture: Getty Images

Clubs can submit trades until 7.30pm but if there is a back-log of trades they will be processed accordingly and might not be confirmed until some time after that 7.30pm deadline.

Power played 84 games for the Dogs and 39 for North Melbourne as a former No.10 pick then worked at Carlton before making his reputation as a tough negotiator since his ascent to Western Bulldogs list boss in 2017.

North Melbourne at least has put pick 25 on the table for contracted half back Caleb Daniel but at this stage would like the Dogs’ selection 48 back in return.

The Dogs have given no indication they want to trade Daniel but given that quality pick on the table for a 28-year-old rarely in the club’s starting line up this year it is an inviting trade.

The Dogs are aware their asking price of a top-10 pick for Bailey Smith might be impossible to achieve for a Geelong side who have made clear their only offer will be pick 17.

Geelong has little to no hope of securing an earlier first-round pick but has its full range of 2025 selections.

So the Dogs might hope as the trade deadline approaches the Cats improve the deal with a future second-round selection.

Dogs fans aware Smith checked out of the club some time ago will know he is worth more than pick 17 but would have decidedly mixed feelings about losing him for nothing as he took a punt on getting to the Cats through the national draft.

There’s still plenty to play out on the Bailey Smith front. Picture: Michael Klein

St Kilda has had no meaningful talks with the Dogs over Jack Macrae’s future, with Steve Silvagni’s list team keen to offer a future third or fourth-rounder but not having tabled an offer yet.

If the Dogs want to stand their ground to retain senior players that might be their best chance given it is a border-line insulting deal for a triple All Australian.

The Saints reason that they are taking on Macrae’s $2 million plus deal so will offer a late throw-away pick.

So the Dogs could reject pick 17 for Smith and pick 25 for Daniel as a philosophical decision they will not be bullied in trades.

But list boss Power and coach Luke Beveridge could also decide taking picks 17 and 25 to a stacked, deep draft will significantly progress the club’s premiership aspirations.

The Dogs have an young and exciting list but their bottom six has often been an issue, so passing up two top-25 selections is no small decision.

Daniel’s leadership is lauded as the deputy vice-captain at the Western Bulldogs but is a year older after a year where he was the sub seven times and played VFL eight times.

Originally published as AFL trade news: Live updates and news from day 9 of the AFL trade period