Leverage seals deals
THE AFL trade floodgates have opened for Jake Lever and Devon Smith but Western Bulldogs forward Jake Stringer remains in limbo.
What loomed as potentially the most acrimonious negotiation of the trade period was resolved amicably yesterday when Melbourne secured defender Lever by sending two first-round draft picks to Adelaide.
Essendon later agreed to part ways with pick No.11 and a future third-round selection in exchange for GWS forward Smith.
The Bombers received pick No.24 and a future second-round pick – selections that could prove vital in helping them to prise Stringer from Whitten Oval.
Stringer appears to be on borrowed time at the Bulldogs after coach Luke Beveridge signalled the club’s desire to trade him.
But the All-Australian is contracted next year and the Dogs have signalled they won’t let him go unless they receive good compensation.
“Pick 11 is now gone. It’ll have to be a combination of other things,” Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said. “We have given a strong indication to Jake that we will do our best to get the deal done.
“There is a fair way to go and we hope we can land him.”
Adelaide’s compensation for 21-year-old Lever could put them in a strong position to make another play for Carlton’s Bryce Gibbs.
The Crows were given Melbourne’s No.10 draft pick and a selection in each of the first and fourth rounds in 2018 in exchange for Lever.
In addition to Lever, the Demons receive the No.35 draft pick and a future thirdround selection.
Adelaide now have four first-round selections across the next two drafts.
A fifth could potentially be extracted from Brisbane in exchange for wantaway forward Charlie Cameron, who remains under contract.
That would leave Adelaide well-placed to tempt the Blues into dealing star midfielder Gibbs back to his native South Australia.
The future of Melbourne forward Jack Watts remains uncertain with his suitors apparently unwilling to part with the asking price of an early second-round pick.