WHAT looms as a frantic free agency/trade period for Hawthorn officially got underway with Tuesday's confirmation Gold Coast's Jaeger O'Meara had nominated the club as his preferred new home.
O'Meara's decision – which was only mildly more surprising than Patrick Dangerfield nominating Geelong last year – seems a case of one down, two to go for the Hawks' list management team.
The 'two to go' are, of course, Sydney Swans midfielder Tom Mitchell and Richmond forward/ruckman Tyrone Vickery. The football industry fully expects both to seek moves to Hawthorn ahead of next month's player exchange period.
Trade Radio podcast: How O'Meara deal is done
With Bradley Hill likely to depart for Fremantle and veterans Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Shaun Burgoyne and Josh Gibson taking pay cuts to play on in 2017, the Hawks are understood to have the salary cap space to accommodate O'Meara, Mitchell and Vickery.
Vickery is a restricted free agent too, so provided the Tigers don't try to force a trade by matching a Hawthorn offer the reigning premier won't have to give up anything for him.
Which is a good thing because the Hawks are set to have their hands full brokering trades for O'Meara, 22, and Mitchell, 23, who are both out of contract but not yet eligible for free agency.
Suns chairman Tony Cochrane indicated last month the expansion club would drive a hard bargain for 2013's NAB AFL Rising Star, who many rival list managers feel could become one of the competition's brightest stars if his troublesome right knee does not derail him.
The Swans, too, would put a high price on Mitchell's head given he has established himself as a key member of their midfield over the past two seasons, averaging a career-high 28 possessions a game in 2016.
As O'Meara has declared his intentions already, let's start with him.
On ability, one list manager told AFL.com.au O'Meara was worth two top-10 picks, but said the fact he hadn't played for two years meant that two later first-round picks could get the deal done. Another list manager thought one top-10 pick would be enough to get the deal done.
Mitchell's market value was rated between pick No.10 and No.20 by one recruiter, with another saying he was worth a mid-to-late first-round pick.
The Hawks still hold their first-round selections this year (which could fall as early as No.13 and as late as No.18 depending on their finals finish) and next year, but could need to bring in another first-round pick, say for Hill, if they want to get both deals done by picks alone.
It's also understood both the Suns and Swans would prefer experienced players to draft picks, although they could, of course, achieve this end by roping third parties into the O'Meara and Mitchell deals.
For quality players such as O'Meara and Mitchell, the Suns and Swans would want quality in return.
Names such as Luke Breust and Isaac Smith are likely to be raised in early discussions with the Hawks.
As unlikely as it is Hawthorn will part with those premierships stars, players such as James Sicily and Will Langford on their own won't get either deal done – at least not without an accompanying draft pick.
So the Hawks will clearly have their work cut out if they try to add O'Meara and Mitchell to their midfield from 2017.
But just as the Hawks successfully sell themselves as a destination club to rival players time and time again, we expect they'll be able to close the deals required to bring the midfield duo to Waverley.
