Jackson snares spot at Dockers
MELBOURNE’S premiership ruckman Luke Jackson has finally found his way to Fremantle after the Dockers secured the former No.3 overall pick with an improved offer.
Jackson will become a Dockers ruckman and hybrid midfielder for pick 13, a future first-rounder and a trade of later picks.
In the deal Melbourne gets a future second-round pick tied to the Dockers and Fremantle receives pick 44 and 67 back. The No.44 selection came from GWS in a threeway trade that also sent Toby Bedford to the Giants on a three-year deal.
While Melbourne was keen to secure a pick in the top 10 this year, the Dockers could not satisfy Melbourne on that front and were never likely to in the coming days.
So the Demons will take two first-round selections and the extra later pick, aware they may never be able to compensate for the loss of the brilliant ruckman who helped change the course of the 2021 Grand Final.
Jackson is set to secure a deal of up to seven seasons and $900,000 a year at the Dockers.
Fremantle have many other trade considerations including landing Gold Coast’s wingman Jeremy Sharp as they ponder whether to allow Rory Lobb and Lloyd Meek to move to Victorian clubs.
The Demons will now be able to move on and secure Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy, although the Pies might have to accept pick 27 from Melbourne to get that deal done.
Fremantle’s decision to trade out one of its future second-round picks in the Jackson trade will raise hopes the Dockers will also have to move on one of Rory Lobb or Lloyd Meek if they are to secure Gold Coast’s Jeremy Sharp.
The Suns are after a future second-rounder for Sharp and although the Dockers have North Melbourne’s future second-round pick, they can’t trade it under the AFL’s draft rules. The Dockers could get a pick to satisfy the Sharp trade if they offload Lobb or Meek.
The Dogs are prepared to offer up their current pick 30 or their future second-rounder for Lobb.
The Dockers could then hand that onto Gold Coast for Sharp if they prioritised a longterm wingman over Lobb, who has one more year on his contract at the Dockers.