Hawthorn now knows 2021 is not a vendor’s market. Few clubs have salary-cap room,thanks to the COVID-created pay deferment (cuts from this year are being given back next year). The clubs that have scope to pay a high-end player - Adelaide,North Melbourne,Essendon head the list - are in a similar position to Hawthorn,in that they are taking a long-range view and wish to hang on to their first-round picks.
Conversely,the clubs that could use a 28-year-old midfield gun to improve their premiership prospects - Richmond,for example - don’t have any room in their cap and they,too,are reluctant to part with the kind of draft choice,inside 15,that the Hawks would accept.