Sit tight Cats fans, real drama’s about to begin

THE opening week of the AFL trade period is almost complete.

As is often the case, there has tended to be little action in the early stages as posturing between clubs dominates more than any genuine swapping of homes for players.

Yesterday saw one of the major deals of the off-season completed much earlier than had been anticipated — Adelaide defender Jake Lever to Melbourne for an exchange of early draft picks.

GWS small forward Devon Smith found a new home at Essendon and Jarman Impey also made his way from Port Adelaide to Hawthorn.

Those deals may yet play a role in Geelong’s endeavours to land its key targets next week — namely Jack Watts and Jake Stringer.

The significant game changer for the Cats though will come by Sunday and may even happen as soon as today.

Restricted free agent Steven Motlop is still to make a decision on where he wants to play in 2018, but when he does, Geelong will finally learn what compensation it will receive for his departure.

Motlop’s salary and length of contract at his new club will dictate what the Cats gain out of the 26-year-old leaving and they could be in line for anything from a late firstround to a late second-round selection.

But with that knowledge Geelong can begin to plan its attack on securing its objective of adding mature talent.

The Cats have said their preference is to go to the draft with their first-round pick (currently No.21) and Melbourne says an early second-round selection would be around the mark for Watts.

Motlop will deliver that, so Geelong should keep its first pick and still secure Watts.

Stringer’s situation became murky yesterday after the Smith trade to Essendon because the Western Bulldogs are adamant they will not let him go for anything less than a first-round draft pick and the Bombers gave up pick 11 in that deal.

It opens the door for the Cats to pounce if they can convince Stringer his future is at Geelong and they look at off-loading a future first-round pick to the Bulldogs to get a trade done.

Essendon may have similar plans, but Geelong is in the premiership window now and should be making decisions that put it in the best position for genuine success next year.

Several other deals will be done next week.

Daniel Menzel is an unrestricted free agent but is in a similar position to Motlop in that the free agency deadline is Sunday.

There is a chance he may remain in blue and white next year, but there is reportedly strong interest from his home state of South Australia.

Darcy Lang may also find a new home and a year after being thrown up as trade bait by the Cats, could secure them a late second-round or early third-round draft selection.

It is understood Lang is unwilling to move to Gold Coast, but Geelong is confident a deal for Gary Ablett will be done.

But it’s tricky: the Suns are fixed on receiving a first-22 player in return and there are seemingly very few players — either at Geelong or on AFL lists across the country — who want to go there.

It may take some persuading of a player such as Lang, Rhys Stanley or Jackson Thurlow to see that his future is in red and gold or for the Suns to relent and accept a draft pick for Ablett.

Just as there is so often little action in the opening week of the AFL trade period, so too is there always a rush to get deals over the line as deadlines for players, managers and clubs loom.

So while Geelong may appear to be acting quietly just now, expect things to change in a big way next week.

A storm is about to hit.