I'm finding as the media ramps us between word of our club and The Chad maybe hooking up, there's a fair bit to follow over several threads, and it's drowning out the general other trading topics inwards or outgoing. So if it's alright with everyone, perhaps he's a serious enough topic (& a big enough topic) to dedicate a thread to. Leaving the others general.

If so, my thoughts today have changed a little bit. With outlets reporting that (essentially) Port have said he's not worth what we would offer, so explore the market... Now it's a big 'if'... If Wingard picks us then I think the trade worth is brought into question, which is where my thinking has changed.

Wingard to me was worth pick 6, and maybe some steak knives, nothing coming back. But if it's the case that Port won't match any free agency offers next year at our alleged dollars, then Port's hand is a little weakened. He can go this year for a fair trade, or next year for whatever the AFEL determine the compo at and where they finish. Much like how Tom Boyd under contract said he was leaving GWS in 2014 under contract to the dogs, or in 2015 to the dogs for nothing (owing to the money, via PSD). If we know Port Adelaide won't pay $800,000 this year or next, and he determines he wants to come to Whitten Oval, then maybe we can drop the steak knives off the trade and/or maybe ask for a fourth to fifth rounder swap to get us draft points back. There's no point in overly low balling them, if he picks us, but knowing they won't pay him this year or next to the level we will, that puts a realistic veil over any talks. He's all but assured not to be there between now and 12 months, the media have made sure the Dogs & Hawks know it too. Maybe we could get a really good trade out of it. If this media reporting is correct, I think the trade capital we need to put up is just that bit lesser.

But first things first, get Jackson to get The Chad to make a public announcement picking us and hope the former top tier law firm lawyer, Sam Power, with the insight of a former very good traded, Ameet Bains, can get us a good deal.