Why trading Pick 1 would be in the best interests of both North Melbourne and West Coast 

Why trading Pick 1 would be in the best interests of both North Melbourne and West Coast

Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna believes it would be in the best interests of both West Coast and North Melbourne to trade Pick 1 due to their respective rebuilding situations.

The Eagles finished this year’s trade period still holding on to Pick 1 after finishing the 2023 season at the bottom of the ladder. But all 18 clubs can still trade picks before and during AFL draft night.

The Kangaroos have significantly increased their draft in recent weeks to now hold five first-round picks – picks 2, 3, 15, 17 and 18 – ahead of the November 20 event. Watch the entire ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup live on Kayo Sports. Join Kayo now and start streaming now >

While Hawthorn and Melbourne have also bid to move up to pick 1 – which would give the club the first rights to 185cm Bendigo Pioneers sensation Harley Reid – the Kangaroos are the team most likely to strike a deal.

And it remains on their to-do list.

“We’re obviously interested because we’ve got an arm that can turn their head,” Kangaroos manager Brady Rawlings told reporters on Wednesday night.

“We just have to consider what price we would be willing to pay for it.

“We have five picks in the 18. If we sit and take them, we will get good players.

“It’s not certain, we would like option 1. I think everyone would. “It’s just a matter of what we have to give up to get it, and that’s up to the Eagles.”

Rawlings then confirmed to SEN that his club is particularly keen to use picks 15, 17 and 18 to move up the order, he said his club would consider a trade with the Eagles for Pick 1, but added it would depend on price.

“They appreciate the choice they rightly should,” Rawlings told SEN on Thursday morning.

“We try to give them something, but if it’s too much and we get 2 and 3, then we’re happy with it.”

While the Eagles have the first pick, the rest of their draft arm isn’t as juicy as other clubs, with picks 23, 37 and 58.

When asked on Fox Footy Trading Day if the Roses should be aggressive in their pursuit of Pick 1, Montagna said: “Yes, I would. I think they have enough talent to go a little bit like the Giants did (with Aaron Cadman last year) and go target someone specifically. I think Harley Reid and that guy winning the match would be perfect.

Vic Country’s Harley Reid. Photo: Morgan Hancock/AFL photos via Getty Images

Source: Getty Images

“I think the West Coast needs a lot of early picks — and they need to be acquired over a two-to-three-year period. We’ve seen big teams build six, seven, eight or nine of your cores.” I think they need to get more draft picks in this draft instead of moving up to the 23rd pick after the first pick.

“I think that’s why North Melbourne is in the box. When I’m in North Melbourne, I like options 2 and 3 and I’m not going to leave them both. I’d give it to West Coast and say, ‘If you want more options, take 3, 15 and 17, otherwise we will only choose 2 and 3”. The ball is in West Coast’s court.”

 

Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph said he had no doubt that the Eagles would consider offers for the number 1 pick, but thought the Eagles would probably want “three (picks) within the 10” in return. Ralph said the Eagles “will very likely end up trying to share No. 1.”

“I think if North Melbourne has to offer options 2 and 3, that’s too much. Because then North Melbourne would go from option 1 to option 15, which goes to option 20 – that’s not enough in North Melbourne,” Ralph Trading told Day . .

“(The Eagles) got picks 1, 23, 37 and 58 — you can’t bring in one elite player when you have eight roster holes. You have to maximize that No. 1 pick, and that’s what you get, and that’s until November 20th. I think it will take them that long to get a deal on the first pick.

“A lot of clubs attack them, trying to throw a lot of things at them. They have options, but at some point you have to be able to maximize their assets.

“If you think about what happened this year, North Melbourne had the No.1 overall pick and they gave it up and in the end (Harry) Sheezel and (George) Wardlaw are just fantastic. Every West Coast fan said, “We made the (No. 2) pick and we made the right one because we have local kids (Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett).” If (they get) Dan Curtin and they get Pick 8 and 12 and they bring in local kids and they love playing there and Daniel Curtin is their captain in eight years… yes, Harley Reid is an outstanding player in Victoria but they have local ones. talent and they love locals.