HAWTHORN "100 per cent" offered up Ryan Burton's name as a trade chip for a deal involving Chad Wingard, with Port Adelaide now weighing up whether they want the young defender.
Power list manager Jason Cripps confirmed on Monday morning they had flown a medical staff contingent to meet Burton in Las Vegas in recent days.
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The 21-year-old badly injured his left knee while playing for North Adelaide the year before he was drafted back in 2014.
"Hawthorn have pushed out Ryan Burton, who's currently in Las Vegas … we've got five or six full-time medical staff who were fighting about going first class … we're going to send the bill to Hawthorn with (the) soft cap these days," Cripps joked at the PWC Connors Sports Breakfast on Monday morning.
"The medical staff are flying first class to Las Vegas to do a medical on a guy who's probably sitting in a pool probably having a couple of Coronas."
Burton is also deciding whether he wants to be part of the trade to move Wingard, who has nominated the Hawks as his preferred destination, and subsequently return home to South Australia himself.
Given the Hawks' first pick in this year's NAB AFL Draft is No.15, followed by their second-round selection of No.35, a player has to be involved in the trade for the contracted Wingard.
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Cripps said it was "100 per cent Hawthorn" that first raised Burton as a possible deal booster.
"Chad's requested to be traded and we need to work through whether Ryan is part of that deal," Cripps said.
"We're happy to explore it, it's a changing landscape with where free agency is, we're quite mature about it and we think the industry is slowly maturing.
"We've taken players from other clubs, Paddy Ryder and Charlie Dixon etc. over the journey, so our philosophy is it creates opportunity, but the deal needs to be right."
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The Power confirmed on Thursday night Wingard, 25, had requested a trade out of Alberton after weeks of speculation about whether he wanted to see out the remainder of his contract.
He is currently signed for another season and poised to become a free agent at Port when that deal ends.
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"We have enough information to think he was going to explore opportunities then," Cripps said.
"You've then got to weigh up what that compensation may look like in 12 months' time opposed to what you may get now.
"We'll work through it and meet with [Hawthorn football manager] Graham Wright today and we'll see what happens.
"You need the deal to be worthwhile for what you're trying to achieve."
Wingard nominated Hawthorn as his preferred destination after the Hawks were notified on Tuesday they had lost the race for Dylan Shiel, with the Giants midfielder keen to get to Essendon instead.
It's been reported Wingard has been offered a four-year contract to join Alastair Clarkson's team.
Meanwhile, talented Gold Coast youngster Jack Scrimshaw has expressed his desire to also join the Hawks after struggling to find his feet at the Suns.
The 20-year-old, who was taken with pick No.7 in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft, is keen to return to Victoria and his family despite being contracted.
"It would be a dream come true [to go to Hawthorn]," Scrimshaw said at the same breakfast.
"I barracked for them as a kid and have watched them closely over the last few years.
"They've got an exciting future and I feel like I'd be able to really improve there and get better as a player and a person.
"I'm a little bit nervous about it all, it's been a long year but I'm excited about it as well and hopefully it works out well and gets finished."
Former No.1 draft selection Tom Scully is also on their radar, although Giants list manager Jason McCartney said on Monday "there a little bit to work through there" between the two clubs.
"He's a bit undecided at the moment," McCartney said.
"He's come off a really serious injury last year and we're open to discussions with him.
"The opportunity may be to come back to Melbourne and we've had chats with Hawthorn but there's still a bit to play out.
"He's very happy if he's staying and playing and serving his contract with the Giants."
