KELLY MEGA DEAL CLOSE
Cats, Eagles mega trade looms
GEELONG and West Coast have edged closer to securing a blockbuster trade for Tim Kelly, with the midfield star set to get his wish to play for the Eagles.
The Cats and West Coast have been in regular talks in recent days and are now all but guaranteed of signing off on a deal that would see Geelong acquire picks 14 and 24 this year and a future first-round pick in 2020.
An exchange of later draft picks is also likely to form part of the deal, which could play a role in helping Geelong land-four-time St Kilda best-andfairest Jack Steven.
The clubs are still haggling over what Geelong sends back — the Cats want to give back a fourth-round pick and West Coast wants to secure a second-round pick.
While the finer details of the Kelly trade were still being negotiated between the Cats and the Eagles last night, there is a strong likelihood it will be finalised this week, potentially today.
Kelly finished runner-up in Geelong’s best-and-fairest award this year for the second straight season and placed fifth in the Brownlow Medal.
But just 12 months after he requested a trade back to Western Australia he put in an identical request following his extraordinary second season at AFL level.
Kelly’s manager Anthony Van der Wielen last night told News Corp he was now confident the 25-year-old would get to West Coast.
Van Der Wielen said Kelly was thrilled that Geelong would secure enough picks to stock up on future stars.
“It is pretty close, we are just waiting for a deal to get done,” Van Der Wielen said.
“Tim is a bit nervous because it’s not done until it’s done but he’s pretty comfortable with where it’s at.
“Tim will be quite happy Geelong are going to be rewarded. Tim wants Geelong to pick up 200-game players out of the picks they get and he can feel part of their resurgence. He hasn’t left them in the lurch. He has nothing against the Geelong footy club.”
The Kelly camp was adamant a deal should be brokered that was fair to both parties without Kelly having to threaten to enter the pre-season draft.
Last year Chris Scott went to bed at a Harvard course believing Kelly would leave for picks 20, 23 and a swap of the club’s third-round 2019 selection for the Eagles’ 2019 second-round pick.
West Coast was not prepared to pay that price and now after a year that saw Kelly peel off 24 Brownlow votes and finish second in the AFL MVP award the price will be dearer.
West Coast’s midfield will boast elite ruckman Nic Naitanui, two ball hunters in Kelly and Luke Shuey, a defensive mid in Elliott Yeo, a Grand Final hero in Dom Sheed and arguably the AFL’s best wingman in Andrew Gaff.
Geelong only wants draft picks from West Coast, believing it can secure significant improvement from young midfielders including Lachie Fogarty, Brandon Parfitt, Quinton Narkle, Charlie Constable and Nakia Cockatoo.
Meanwhile, Essendon denied it is pursuing a bombshell trade for Collingwood spearhead Mason Cox.
The Bombers poured cold water on reports the 211cm Texan was a left-field replacement option for disgruntled forward Joe Daniher at Tullamarine.
Essendon wants to block Daniher’s trade request to Sydney Swans, unless John Longmire’s men stump up two highend picks.
List manager Adrian Dodoro said the Bombers were not chasing Cox. “It’s an inaccurate report, we are not pursuing Mason Cox,” Dodoro said.