“I don’t know whether they are bluffing or not. I know what they want,and I know what Brisbane has offered,so they need to work through it - the two of them,” Pickering said.
“I think it should be getting done.
“I don’t think the Bulldogs fans would be all that thrilled if they let him go for nothing to make a point. You make a point that you are[actually] weakening your draft hand.”
Meanwhile,Geelong rejected an offer from Collingwood to trade Oliver Henry to the club after the Cats secured pick 25 in a pick swap with the Lions on Friday and are certain to obtain pick seven from the Gold Coast next week as part of the Jack Bowes deal.
Collingwood offered to trade Henry,pick 16 and pick 41 to Geelong for pick seven and 25. However,the Cats rejected the deal. The Cats had used pick 18 toget Tanner Bruhn from the Giants on Friday and remain optimistic they will achieve a deal to obtain Henry,who wants to live in Geelong and play alongside his brother.
Oliver Henry wants to play for Geelong.Credit:Getty Images
The Magpies,however,want a first-round pick in return for the uncontracted Henry,who was chosen with pick No.17 in the 2020 national draft. They are frustrated to be losing him just two years after. Geelong still have a future first-round pick but having traded out their future second-round pick they would need to trade in a future pick under current AFL rules. To this point,they believe pick 25 being at the heart of the offer is the best they can do.
The mega deal that drew together North Melbourne,Port Adelaide and West Coast and attracted the attention of Greater Western Sydney and the Brisbane Lions is shaky,with Port Adelaide set to deal with individual clubs in an effort to land Jason Horne-Francis from North Melbourne and Junior Rioli from West Coast. Port sought permission to trade more future picks than were allowed under the rules but were denied an exemption.
The Kangaroos remain open to discussions about their number one pick,but it may have to be separate to any deal involving Horne-Francis. The Lions were hoping to become involved to secure a suitable pick forHawthorn’s Jack Gunston with the Hawks keen on young Dockers ruckman Lloyd Meek.
With no trades lodged on the weekend there are all sorts of permutations being considered as clubs come together for the draft combine and the state combine.
Luke Jackson,Brodie Grundy,Gunston,Dunkley,Henry,Jacob Hopper,Izak Rankine,Esava Ratugolea,Horne-Francis,Rory Lobb and Tom Mitchell are all entering the week uncertain whether they will be playing at new clubs next season.
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