HAWTHORN is making an audacious late bid to poach Jake Carlisle from St Kilda's clutches in a proposed trade that would also send Jed Anderson to North Melbourne.
Essendon tall Carlisle requested a trade shortly after the home and away season and last week nominated the Saints as his preferred new home over fellow suitors Carlton.
But AFL.com.au has confirmed that the Hawks are seeking to exploit an impasse in St Kilda's negotiations with Essendon, with the Saints so far refusing to meet the Bombers' demand of pick No.5 for Carlisle.
The Hawks are attempting to snare Carlisle in a three-way deal that, according to reports, would see:
Hawthorn parts with pick No.18 and Anderson for Carlisle;
North receives Anderson and Essendon's pick No.41 in exchange for pick No.15, and,
Essendon receives picks No.15 and 18 for Carlisle and pick No.41.
The three clubs have agreed to the deal in principle but it is far from over the line.
Carlisle, who is overseas on holiday, is understood to be prepared to move to the Hawks, but only in the event that St Kilda is unable to broker a trade with Essendon.
Anderson is believed to be open to a move to Arden Street after visiting the club last week.
But the opportunity-starved young Hawk has been heavily courted by rival clubs since the Grand Final and would have other options if the Hawthorn-Essendon-North deal falls over.
The decision now facing the Saints could be simple – trade pick No.5 to Essendon or wave goodbye to Carlisle.
At the very least, it seems the Saints will have to come up with a deal that nets the Bombers a better return than picks No.15 and 18.
St Kilda has been exploring possible trades with other clubs involving pick No.5 where the Saints would acquire a lower first-round pick, say around No.9-12, and another pick or player.
The Saints had been hoping to use that lower first-round pick as the key plank of a trade with the Bombers, but the Hawthorn-brokered three-way deal has increased this strategy's degree of difficulty markedly.
St Kilda could now make a renewed effort to target Adelaide's picks No.9 and 13, or two of Gold Coast's picks No.10 (which the Suns are expected to get from Port Adelaide in Charlie Dixon trade), 16 and 19.
Given the Saints' grip on Carlisle is now seriously weakened, the Crows and Suns would likely drive hard bargains.
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