Essendon’s offer of draft picks 25 and 30 for Jake Stringer well short of what Bulldogs want
RECRUITERS say Essendon’s offer of picks 25 and 30 for Jake Stringer is “not even close” to the No. 11 draft pick the Western Bulldogs demanded last week.
The Bombers’ current offer — which sums to 1385 draft points — is the equivalent of pick 10, according to the AFL’s points system.
But some of the league’s talent spotters believe there is a sharp drop in quality after the first dozen or so prospects this year.
The Bombers say pick 25 and 30 is their final offer for Stringer and the Dogs say they will not accept it.
“The ball’s in their court,” Dons list manager Adrian Dodoro said yesterday.
“We’re just sitting by the phone, waiting for the Bulldogs to get back to us.”
The shape of the draft helps explain why the Dogs have not seriously considered Essendon’s offer.
It also illustrates why Stringer’s club was keen to package the picks for an earlier selection last week, eyeing Fremantle’s No. 5 pick and Richmond’s No. 15.
The Dockers and Tigers both rebuffed proposed deals last week. An approach to Brisbane Lions was also made to secure their No. 12 pick, but that has also fallen over.
The Dogs and West Coast have since entered talks about the Dogs securing the No. 13 pick.
Three players — midfielders Luke Davies-Uniacke and Paddy Dow and forward-midfielder Cameron Rayner — are in contention to go No. 1 this year.
St Kilda tried to complete a pick swap to secure Gold Coast’s No. 2 selection, but has been knocked back.
There is then a bit of a break until a group of prospects including Adam Cerra, Sam Hayes, Andrew Brayshaw, Jaidyn Stephenson, Jarrod Brander and Darcy Fogarty.
But even in the very top prospects in this year’s draft there are considered some flaws.
Clubs then believe the draft is so even they could get a player they rank in the early second round very deep in the draft, because opinions will very so much.
One expert said that while this appeared the weakest draft in multiple years, next year’s was regarded the strongest draft in a similar time frame.