Indicative draft order: What picks will your club take to the draft
FOUR clubs have contacted Essendon to discuss trading for the No.1 pick, but the Bombers say they are likely to hang on to it at this stage.
Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro told NAB AFL Trade Radio on Thursday morning there had been plenty of interest in the top selection at the draft.
Greater Western Sydney has been mooted as an interested party for the No.1 pick, given their willingness to trade first-round picks No.7, 15 and 16 which they currently hold.
Dodoro also revealed the Bombers have spoken with Port Adelaide midfielder Hamish Hartlett and wantaway Sun Jaeger O'Meara.
He said Essendon would do its due diligence on Hartlett before deciding whether to pursue a trade with the Power, and O'Meara was a long shot given he had nominated the Hawks as his preferred destination.
Dodoro wouldn't name the clubs who have spoken to Essendon about the No.1 pick although he confirmed Gold Coast, who hold picks No.4 and No.8 in the first round, weren't in the running.
"I don't want to put a mark on it right now because no one has offered us anything," he said.
"It's coming now, we're speaking to clubs at the present time.
"Some clubs are forthright and some clubs are fishing.
"I think it's a good draft and the first couple of players and there's academy players that are elite.
"We'll target a midfielder because they are the ones that are presenting as being elite in the top bracket.
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"If I was a betting man, I'd say we'd retain our draft pick.
"We believe in the draft process and to have pick one for the first time in the club's history, we believe we're in a good position," he said.
"We'd entertain listening to anything.
"There have been a couple clubs that have come to us, but at this point in time there is nothing in concrete."
Hartlett has spent the past couple days in Melbourne meeting with several clubs despite, having four years to run on his contract with the Power.
"We'll just sit down over the next couple of days and determine whether it is a good fit for us," Dodoro said.
"We're by no means committed to take anyone at this point in time and we're just doing our due diligence.
"He's contracted, (Power) hold the aces and I'm sure there's more clubs than just Essendon that is talking to him."
Channel Seven reported on Wednesday night that Richmond was considering offering a future first-round pick in exchange for Hartlett.
Dodoro said it was highly unlikely O'Meara would be wearing red and black next year.
"History says that if a player nominates a club, he usually gets there," he said.
"I probably assume, like most people, that will get done.
"If it falls over, then we're there (pick one) in the pre-season draft, but we're not even looking at him."
