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GREATER Western Sydney is still targeting the Brisbane Lions' No.2 pick despite claiming pick No.3 in the trade that sent Cameron McCarthy to Fremantle on Tuesday.
McCarthy sat out the 2016 season after GWS refused to trade him to Freo last October, returning to Western Australia early this year because of homesickness.
But the Giants have agreed to release McCarthy from his contract for 2017, sending him to the Dockers along with picks No.7, No.34 and No.72 in exchange for pick No.3.
And it's understood GWS is still exploring whether it can put together a deal to convince the Brisbane Lions to hand over pick No.2 in this year's NAB AFL Draft.
In addition to increasing the Giants' chances of landing their preferred player at the draft – Andrew McGrath and Hugh McCluggage are high on their radar – this would also mean only Essendon could bid on their highly rated academy player Will Setterfield before their first pick.
If the Bombers didn't bid for Setterfield, the Giants could then take him with picks after No.2.
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The Giants already hold picks No.3, No.15 and No.16 but are well placed to acquire another first-round pick from Carlton for key defender Caleb Marchbank.
The Blues have pick No.5 but could get pick No.13, among other things, from Adelaide if the Crows convince them to part with contracted midfield star Bryce Gibbs.
GWS could then package pick No.3 with one or more of these picks in an offer for pick No.2.
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In what's shaping as a busy trade period for the Giants, midfielder Paul Ahern met with North Melbourne on Monday.
Ahern, 2014's No.7 draft pick, is contracted for 2017 but is unlikely to play next year after last month rupturing his right anterior cruciate ligament for the second time this year.
GWS could clear $1 million of its salary cap if it trades Ahern and fellow top-10 picks Will Hoskin-Elliott and Jarrod Pickett.
Like Ahern, Hoskin-Elliott and Pickett are contracted for 2017 but could find their way to Melbourne.
Collingwood continues to shape as Hoskin-Elliott's most likely new home despite interest from North Melbourne and Geelong, while Pickett indicated on Monday he wants a trade to Carlton.
The sizeable final-year salaries of the Giants trio limited the number of clubs interested in securing the youngsters, who have struggled through injury, form and lack of opportunity to play senior football at the Giants.
Their salaries could also affect their trade value as the Giants' administration works through a salary cap squeeze, but their departure would assist the club to move into line with the rest of the competition.
North has two second-round picks, No.31 and No.32, after receiving a compensation pick following Daniel Wells' departure to Collingwood as a free agent, and could use one of them to secure Ahern.
Collingwood's second-round pick, No.27, could also be enough to clinch a trade for Hoskin-Elliott.
Collingwood remains hopeful of securing pick No.62 in exchange for key forward Travis Cloke, although the Western Bulldogs are understood to have suggested pick No.74 in initial discussions.
Both clubs are expected to wait for the trade period to play out a bit further before finalising the details.
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The Bulldogs might receive picks if they trade Nathan Hrovat, who has attracted interest from Carlton, and Koby Stevens, who is likely to join St Kilda or Essendon, while premiership defender Joel Hamling is weighing up an offer from Fremantle.
The Magpies are keen to push up the draft order so they maximise their number of points if they choose to draft father-son prospects Josh Daicos and Callum Brown.
Carlton and Adelaide made little progress in their discussions on Gibbs on Tuesday.
Reports in South Australia suggested the Blues could look to secure Mitch McGovern as part of that trade, but the forward, who is contracted at West Lakes until the end of 2017, has no intention of leaving.
With Adelaide's pick No.13 likely to be key part of any Gibbs trade, Carlton's negotiations with GWS over key defender Marchbank are likely to be delayed.
Out-of-contract Crows midfielder Jarryd Lyons has also been linked to the proposed Gibbs deal, but it's understood he is highly unlikely to be involved.
Carlton retains some interest in Lyons and could yet seek to trade for him separately, but other rival clubs are ahead of the Blues in the race for the 24-year-old Victorian.
Gold Coast and Richmond's negotiations over Dion Prestia continue to drag on.
The Suns are insisting on a straight swap for Richmond's pick No.6, while the Tigers want something in return, most likely one of the Suns' four second-round draft picks.
Gold Coast remains interested in Brisbane Lions defender Pearce Hanley, but is unlikely to trade pick No.8 for him. The Suns could, however, offer the Lions pick No.14 if they acquire that from Hawthorn in an O'Meara trade.
Fremantle free agent Chris Mayne is not expected to be confirmed as a Collingwood player until later in the week.
The 27-year-old was in Melbourne on Monday to meet with the Magpies and is tipped to sign a four-year deal, which would likely net Fremantle a second-round compensation pick.
The Dockers gained a second-round pick (No.34) as part of their mega-trade for McCarthy on Tuesday, but will not deal that on immediately in other trades they are working on.
The Dockers have committed the compensation pick they will eventually receive for Mayne to Hawthorn in exchange for midfielder Bradley Hill.
That pick is expected to fall at No.23, after the second-round pick the Dockers traded away to Gold Coast 12 months ago.
If the compensation pick falls at the end of the second round (No.40), the Dockers have still committed to arrange a trade for Hill as a priority ahead of their other deals.
Hill, who met with Dockers coach Ross Lyon as far back as July, is not required to complete any more club testing after flying into Perth on Tuesday morning.
Sydney Swans utility Dean Towers appears increasingly likely to re-sign in the wake of Tom Mitchell's request for a trade to Hawthorn.
Out-of-contract Carlton forward Andrejs Everitt has attracted limited rival interest and the Blues are happy to delay a decision on his future until after the trade period.
