The Suns want at least Port Adelaide's pick 10 this year - and reportedly the Power's first round pick next year as well - for Dixon. Fremantle would be likely to have to hand over pick 16 to the Suns for Bennell. That would leave Gold Coast with picks 3, 10, 16, 19 and 22 in the draft. Complicating this plan would be Essendon's threat to take pick four to the same clubs in a bid to strike a similar pick-slide deal and one-up the Saints, and Collingwood's demands for uncontracted midfielder Nathan Freeman. Freeman is also headed for St Kilda, probably for a second-round pick. Adelaide are unlikely to be prepared to trade their picks 9 and 13 for pick five alone, so any arrangement with the Saints would need to be sweetened somehow to gain traction. Gold Coast would be more likely to be prepared to bracket two first round picks to the Saints, and end up with picks 3 and 5 in this year's draft. Essendon has argued that pick five is not as valuable as it would normally be, given two and possibly three northern academy players will be nabbed in the top five on draft night. Callum Mills (Swans Academy), Jacob Hopper (Giants Academy) and Matthew Kennedy (Giants Academy) are all legitimate top five chances. If all three players are bid for in the top five, pick five will become pick eight on draft night.

Essendon have expressed interest in Western Bulldogs key backman Michael Talia, who is leaving the Dogs following accusations he passed on tactical information to his brother at Adelaide ahead of the elimination final. The Dons are exploring options for support in key defence with Carlisle leaving, and have also enquired after Bulldogs midfielder Mitch Honeychurch. Brisbane ruckman Matthew Leuenberger has agreed to a three-year contract offer from Essendon to move to the Bombers as a free agent. The Lions have three days to decide if they will match the Essendon offer, but this is unlikely. The club expect to receive a third-round pick as compensation. Essendon have also reached an agreement with Melbourne that will see the Demons send them a second-round pick for midfielder Jake Melksham. Brisbane were also negotiating with Carlton about a possible trade of pick 21 for the contracted Tom Bell and key forward Levi Casboult. The Lions have already received pick 17 from West Coast for onballer Jack Redden. The Blues and Richmond did not advance significantly on the move of contracted running player Chris Yarran to Punt Road. Richmond have said they will not trade their first round pick for Yarran.