Essendon and St Kilda are concocting a bold, never before seen trade/ free agency play that has two stars at the centre of the move.
Meanwhile an out of favour Bulldog could be on the move to his third club.
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DONS, SAINTS CONCOCTING SHREWD FREE AGENCY PLAY
Essendon and St Kilda are reportedly in negotiations that could see the Bombers land an extra first round pick at this year’s draft.
According to The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph, the clubs’ experienced list bosses Adrian Dodoro and Stephen Silvagni are concocting a trade and free agency ploy that could see an extra first round pick get created through free-agency compensation for St Kilda free agent Jade Gresham.
The pick would then get handed back to the Bombers in a trade for midfielder Dylan Shiel.
The Bombers are in the box seat to secure St Kilda mid-forward Jade Gresham as a restricted free agent, along with North Melbourne defender Ben McKay, who has already nominated the Dons as his nominated destination as a restricted free agent.
In essence, the Bombers would pay Gresham enough to trigger band one compensation – a first-round draft pick after the Saints first pick (currently 12).
That pick would then be traded back to Essendon in a deal that would see Dylan Shiel land at St Kilda, in a move that would bolster the Saints engine room.
The rationale behind the deal would see Essendon clear Shiel’s remaining salary off their books for the final year of his contract, to increase some flexibility in their salary cap, to help bring in their two free-agent targets.
As well as netting the Bombers an extra first rounder to use in the following month’s draft.
Roos granted 3 1st Round picks by AFL | 00:58
BLUES HONE IN ON TARGETS TO REPLENISH LIST
Carlton is looking at a quiet off-season at the trade and free agency table but will still be actively looking to replenish their list following their Preliminary Final heartbreak.
Carlton may only need to hand over a future pick to acquire Gold Coast’s Elijah Hollands, while the Blues also reportedly have shown interest in Western Bulldog Hayden Crozier.
SEN’s Sam Edmund revealed there is interest from the Blues in the 29-year-old, who could find his way to Princes Park as a delisted free agent.
“Hayden Crozier who has fallen out of favour at the Whitten Oval of recent times, there is some interest from Carlton here,” Edmund said on SEN’s Whateley.
“That might yet be as a delisted free agent, it’s hard to know what’s going to happen there.
“He’s out of contract; I wouldn’t be surprised if Carlton pursues him a little bit further.”
The defender played just the four games at the Bulldogs this year, taking his tally of senior games to 142 after crossing from Fremantle at the end of 2017.
Curnow ‘can’t have three bad games’ | 01:48
Separately, Edmund confirmed that Elijah Hollands is “highly likely to leave” the Gold Coast Suns and is set to reunite with his younger brother Ollie at the Blues.
“The Blues might have Honey, Plowman, Dow, certainly Ed Curnow leaving …. Elijah Hollands, there’s an expectation they can nab him with a future pick to satisfy Gold Coast,” Edmund said.
“He was pick 7 in the 2020 draft, he’s played only the 13 games in that time.
“For the right deal, my understanding is that Gold Coast will allow him to leave. Carlton has the family link there but it goes beyond that, they have a real interest in the player.
“You‘d have Carlton in the box seat to land him and reunite him with his brother Ollie.”
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