Hawks sacrifice picks to land Impey

HAWTHORN has secured Port Adelaide speedster Jarman Impey in a trade that again has the Hawks entering the national draft after every other club.

Impey, 22, arrives at Waverley on a three-year contract after playing 75 games for the Power. The Hawks are excited about his ability to play as a small forward and defender.

The former Murray Bushranger was contracted at Port next season but his exit, along with free agent Jackson Trengove (Western Bulldogs) helps the Power afford Tom Rockliff and targets Jack Watts and Steven Motlop.

“His outstanding speed and endurance will be a really valu- able asset,” Hawks list boss Graham Wright said yesterday. “Jarman is a competitive character, who goes hard at the footy, which makes him an exciting acquisition and a terrific addition to our list.”

The Hawks are slated to enter the draft at pick 43. They entered last year’s draft at No.74 — the third-last pick overall. They swapped pick 33, 61 and next year’s fourth-round selection for Impey and pick 67.

But Hawthorn’s three-peat was built on shrewd trading by Wright with the club using only one first-round selection from 2009-14 — Isaac Smith in 2010. CARLTON has hit a hurdle in its pursuit of GWS midfielder Matthew Kennedy. The clubs are well apart in early negotiations. The struggle for Kennedy comes after the Blues had the rug pulled from underneath them on Rockliff, Devon Smith (Essendon) and almost certainly Adam Saad.

The inside midfielder is still regarded as a near certainty to land at the Blues, despite Brisbane Lions watching closely.