West Coast looks very likely to take the No.1 pick all the way to draft night, with the deadline for pre-draft swaps just hours away.
The Eagles have been fielding offers for weeks on the rights to the top selection, with North Melbourne and Melbourne believed to be the most interested parties.
Top prospect Harley Reid is the presumed prize for whoever holds the selection but talks have not progressed far enough between the wooden spooners and any rival club for a deal to be completed.
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The deadline for pre-draft night trades involving only picks is 5pm Friday November 10, meaning if a deal is not completed before this evening, the only chance for a trade will be on draft night itself.
That suits the Eagles just fine who appear happy to try and maximise their return for the No.1 pick, given their flawed list needs as much talent as possible, and both the Kangaroos and Demons have traded their way into strong draft hands with multiple first round picks each.
The Eagles reportedly want picks 2 and 3 in exchange for 1 from the Kangaroos, who have so far offered 2 plus two of their late first-round picks (15, 17 and 18) in exchange for 1 and 23.
The Demons have offered picks 6, 11, 42 and a future first-round pick for 1, which is a stronger offer in terms of draft points, but would mean the Eagles’ first live selection on draft night could be 7 or 8 (after Academy bids on top prospects tied to Gold Coast).
Historically, the demand of picks 2 and 3 in exchange for pick 1 would be an awful deal for the team receiving pick 1.
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley, responding to a Fox Footy story on Twitter about the potential trade, said this week: “Two picks inside 10 always over One. Doesn’t matter who it is or when. Spread the risk, double the reward.”
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