MELBOURNE forward Jesse Hogan has moved one step closer to the exit door after touring Fremantle's facilities on Thursday.
Hogan toured the club's new Cockburn complex with his agent Jason Dover and met with key Dockers officials as he contemplates a move back home on a long-term deal.
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The 23-year-old power forward remains contracted until the end of 2019 but he has told the Demons he is exploring the possibility of departing after five senior seasons.
Hogan's tour coincided with new head of football Peter Bell's first day at the club, while he also met with chief executive Steve Rosich, who is overseeing list management before the club appoints a list boss.
Currently holding pick No.5 in the NAB AFL Draft, the Dockers could also be armed with Brisbane's pick No.4 should Lachie Neale depart to the Lions.
If pick No.4 was to be on-traded to Melbourne for Hogan, the Demons could use it as part of its pitch to Gold Coast to release contracted captain Steven May.
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The Demons confirmed on Tuesday they had given Hogan their blessing to entertain rival offers.
"We're not sure at the moment, he's got a bit of thinking to do over the next few days," Mahoney told NAB AFL Trade Radio.
"We had a conversation at the end of the season with Jesse about his future and it's well documented the struggles he went through over the last 18 months and he's to be applauded for his efforts to be able to do what he's done this year.
"But he's at the stage in his career that he's got to think about what is the next phase for him, and he said to us one thing he wants to consider is, is going back to Perth a chance?
"He's going to take the next few days to think about that."
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Hogan joined Melbourne via the 2012 end-of-season mini-draft before winning Casey's (Melbourne's VFL affiliate) best and fairest in 2013, as he was not eligible for AFL action.
After missing 2014 through injury, Hogan won the NAB AFL Rising Star in his debut season in 2015 with 44 goals and the first of two consecutive club leading goalkicker awards.
He played 20 games this year and kicked 47 goals before a foot injury suffered against Sydney in round 21 prematurely ended his season.
Hogan has played 71 career games for Melbourne for 152 career goals.
