Compensation ‘tug of war’ looms over Battle; Port meets with gun, tables huge deal for Magpie — Trade Whispers

Hawthorn is reportedly growing in confidence of landing a free agent ahead of a compensation face-off.

Plus, the Power have met with a Suns star as well as tabled a deal to a Collingwood forward, while a WA club has expressed interest in a Carlton forward.

Catch up on all the latest player movement news in AFL Trade Whispers!

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HAWKS ‘INCREASINGLY CONFIDENT’ OF LANDING BATTLE AMID COMPENSATION ‘TUG OF WAR’

Hawthorn is reportedly “increasingly confident” of landing St Kilda swingman Josh Battle as the Saints prepare to launch one final pitch to the impending free agent.

Battle is weighing up a lucrative six-year deal to move to the Hawks, having met with Sam Mitchell, or remaining at Moorabbin.

Interestingly, however, the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reports Hawthorn contract offer of roughly $850,000 per season would only trigger an end-of-first-round compensation pick — not a compensation pick after the Saints’ first selection — currently No. 6.

“You speak to the list bosses across the AFL community, they would say absolutely it is his last game,” Ralph said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

“I think Hawthorn is increasingly confident they have their man.

“Sam Mitchell just finds a way to win these guys over, he was really confident early … it’s a six-year deal worth around $850,000.

“I’m confident it won’t trigger first-round compensation. If it was an end-of-first-round compensation pick that would come in at about 20.”

Fellow Herald Sun reporter Jay Clark reports the Hawks would have to table a deal worth around $900,000 per season to trigger first-round compensation.

Therefore, Clark expects the Saints to make one final push to retain the 25-year old.

“Clubs expect a first-round trigger salary has to start with a nine, previously it was $770,000-$800,000 — but we know the salary cap has gone up.

“It must be a fascinating discussion inside St Kilda, as if there’s not a tug of war going on about this.

“Ross Lyon would thinking he could have Josh Battle for another six years or a pick in the 20s. No way they’re trading Josh Battle for a pick in the 20s.

“I expect St Kilda to have one last crack at him and go the last ride, exit meeting next Tuesday or Wednesday.

“The Saints don’t want an end-of-first-round compensation, they want Pick 7 or Battle to stay, I would imagine.”

Ralph also reported he expects Hawthorn’s Pick 12 to get the deal done for West Coast’s Tom Barrass, suggesting the Eagles would trade that selection on for Richmond’s Liam Baker.

PORT MEETS WITH LUKOSIUS, TABLES DEAL FOR PIE

Coming off a fiery Showdown last weekend, the South Australian clubs are also jostling for Gold Coast’s Jack Lukosius.

Channel 7 journalist Theo Doropoulos reports Lukosius, who’s from South Australia, has now also met with Port Adelaide after catching up with Crows coach Matthew Nicks earlier this month.

Victorian clubs are also expected to pursue the 24-year old, who’s contracted at the Suns until 2026.

Lukosius was recalled for the Suns’ last game of the season against Richmond following a five-goal haul in a VFL win over the Casey Scorpions.

He’s played 115 AFL games since being drafted by the Suns with Pick 2 in the 2018 National Draft.

Meanwhile, Channel 7’s Mitch Cleary reports the Power have offered Collingwood’s Joe Richards a four-year deal in a bid to lure him the small forward Alberton.

Richards, who turns 25 in November and was drafted as a mature-age player from Wangaratta, has shown promising signs in eight senior games for the Pies this season and was recalled for Friday night’s clash with Melbourne.

Coming to the end of his initial two-year deal with Collingwood, Cleary reports the club hasn’t offered him a contract “anywhere near” the length of Port’s.

“He’s been offered a four-year deal by the Power and he’s played eight games, which shows that when the Power latch onto someone (they go all-in),” Cleary revealed on the Tradies podcast.

“They went hard at Ratugolea last year and got him, they’re not mucking about, they’ve offered this guy four years and he’s played eight games.

“They’re keen on small forwards and Joe Richards is a guy they’ve identified.

“Collingwood’s offered him a deal too, but it won’t be anywhere near that, so he’s got a decision to make.”

UNCONTRACTED BLUES FORWARD ON RIVAL’S RADAR

Out-of-contract Carlton forward Jack Martin is reportedly being eyed by Fremantle ahead of the off-season.

The Dockers are one of multiple clubs interested in the 29-year-old, according to Seven reporter Ryan Daniels on Friday.

Martin, who moved from Gold Coast to Carlton at the end of the 2019 season, is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury as the Blues fight for a finals seed this weekend.

The 151-gamer is a useful commodity when healthy, but he has managed just three senior games this year and hasn’t played more than 16 games in a season since 2017.

Carlton has a logjam in its attacking half, with fringe forwards such as Martin, Matthew Owies, Matthew Kennedy, Jesse Motlop, Corey Durdin, Ashton Moir and Orazio Fantasia — among others — all competing for spots when healthy.

Owies is another Blues goal-sneak who has reportedly been eyed by rivals this year.