How the Bombers could turn Joe Daniher free agency compensation pick into draft bonanza
The Bombers are set for a draft bonanza after securing pick No. 7 as compensation Joe Daniher. Here’s what they could to do with it. And it involves a WA young gun.
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Essendon is prepared to turn its Joe Daniher compensation selection into two-first round picks as part of a plan to spread its draft riches.
After Brisbane offered Daniher a three-year deal with around $2.5 million of guaranteed money, the Bombers hit the free agency jackpot on Friday, securing the No.7 selection in the draft.
It means the Bombers could end up with pick No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 - which would be shuffled back several spots after likely academy selections and compensation picks - from Carlton for speedster Adam Saad.
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Significantly, the arsenal gives the Bombers a chance to land one of the two prized key-forwards at the top-end of this year’s draft, South Australian Riley Thilthorpe and West Australian Logan McDonald.
Daniher’s absence leaves the Bombers with a clear need to draft another key forward with Gold Coast’s Peter Wright also a chance to come in exchange for a late pick.
Essendon is open to trading its Daniher compensation selection (No. 7) with a club such as Geelong for a later first-round pick in this year’s draft (No. 18) and a future first-round selection.
It would mean the Bombers could turn Daniher into two first-round picks across two seasons as part of a longer-term draft strategy.
That means Geelong could use the Daniher compensation pick (No. 7) to potentially trade with GWS for Jeremy Cameron if the Giants match the free agency bid.
The Bombers could then use their remaining picks, including No. 6 and No. 8 (from Carlton for Saad) and potentially No. 18 (from Geelong) to try and get inside the top-four to land a key-forward.
Essendon would also have to give one of them to Western Bulldogs if midfielder Josh Dunkley confirms his trade request to Tullamarine.
The 200cm Thilthorpe and 196cm McDonald both loom large for the Bombers in the draft as their search for a new key-forward to replace Daniher begins.
McDonald, in particular, has had an outstanding year in the WAFL seniors as one of the top goal kickers in the competition and would be a superb addition.
It would be a massive win for the Bombers if they could land a blue-chip and ultra-competitive key-forward such as McDonald to become its long-term spearhead.
The pick swap would rely on Adelaide, North Melbourne, Sydney or Hawthorn being prepared to hand over their first choice and two later first-round picks.
If Essendon can climb into the first four picks of the draft, it could also make a call on whether to bid for Bulldogs’ academy prospect Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
Adelaide has threatened to use the No. 1 pick on Ugle-Hagan to make the Dogs’ pay full value for a forward widely rated the most exciting prospect in this year’s pool.
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Originally published as How the Bombers could turn Joe Daniher free agency compensation pick into draft bonanza
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