TARRANT INVOLVED IN CCJ TALKS

NORTH Melbourne and Richmond continue to workshop trade ideas for ruckman Callum Coleman-Jones and defender Robbie Tarrant, with the future of both players likely to become clearer by Friday.

AFL.com.au understands the Kangaroos' initial offer, made on Monday, included a future third-round pick but also Tarrant in exchange for Coleman-Jones and a future fourth-round selection to help the Tigers retain their compensation for losing Mabior Chol.

Richmond risks diluting the end-of-second-round compensation it received last week following Chol's move to Gold Coast, should it bring Tarrant to the club as an unrestricted free agent in the coming days.

It's understood the AFL's tiered compensation system would mean that Richmond's pick No.38, received for Chol's departure, would be pushed back around 10 selections should Tarrant arrive via free agency.

It's led to trade talks between the two sides to avoid the pick sliding back, with a number of options – the majority of which involving Tarrant in a package for Coleman-Jones – being hashed out between the two sides.

A decision on whether the Tigers plan to execute a free agency move for the 32-year-oldmust be made by 5pm AEDT on Friday, when the AFL's unrestricted free agency period closes. If not, he must move via a trade.

Tarrant has already accepted a two-year offer to move to Richmond, where he will chase a premiership under Damien Hardwick after 174 games and 14 seasons with North Melbourne.

Coleman-Jones, 22, has requested a trade to the Kangaroos after nine games across four seasons with the Tigers. He is tipped to eventually succeed the 33-year-old Todd Goldstein as the long-term No.1 ruck at Arden Street. – Riley Beveridge

DAWSON DEAL GROWS MORE COMPLICATED

ADELAIDE'S move for Jordan Dawson is hanging in the balance, after a mega four-club trade completed on Wednesday saw the gap between the club's first two picks widen even further.

But the Crows' freshly attained future first-rounder tied to Melbourne looms as the final target for the Swans to make a deal happen.

As reported by AFL.com.au, the Crows gave up a suite of picks in a blockbuster trade with Melbourne, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs to earn another first-round selection for next season.

But, with Adelaide so far unwilling to part with its prized pick No.4 in any deal for Dawson, the move also saw the club's second selection at this year's NAB AFL Draft drift even further to pick No.33 as negotiations with Sydney dragged on.

It's understood another deal was put forward by Adelaide officials on Wednesday morning, but a resolution couldn't be reached by the time the Crows became involved in the significant pick-swap in mid-afternoon.

Adelaide had previously negotiated with the Western Bulldogs about a potential pick swap that would see it secure pick No.17 and on-trade that selection to Sydney for Dawson, but Melbourne swooped to land that same selection in Wednesday's four-club deal.

Last week, Richmond had approached Adelaide about trading pick No.4 for a package of multiple selections – including the Tigers' pick No.7 – that could have also unlocked the Dawson saga. That move was turned down by the Crows.

Sydney is also expected to target one of Adelaide's dual future first-round picks in exchange for Dawson, though the Crows have not yet been prepared to use their early 2022 selections to make the deal happen.

Melbourne’s future first-round selection, which is now in Adelaide’s hands, is likely to again be in the 15-20 range due to the reigning premiers’ standing heading into next season and could be nearer to the Crows’ valuation of Dawson.

Adelaide is now in possession of picks No.4, 33, 75 and 80 to negotiate a trade for Dawson, while it also has the fourth selection in this year's pre-season draft if it can't unlock a deal for the uncontracted wingman during the Trade Period. – Riley Beveridge

CLARK DEAL EDGES CLOSER

FREMANTLE'S pursuit of pick No.19 from Gold Coast is tied to its need for a selection in that range to satisfy Geelong and finally land speedster Jordan Clark.

If the Dockers can land the prized selection, they are considered certain to secure Clark and also clear the passage for midfielder Adam Cerra's move to Carlton.

Sources confirmed both the Blues and the Cats were of the belief that deals would be ticked off quickly if the Dockers were able to land pick No.19 as part of Suns midfielder Will Brodie's expected move west.

It is not clear if the Dockers would request something else alongside Clark in exchange for the pick, which carries extra value as the first selection to kick off day two of the NAB AFL Draft, giving the club that holds it has a lengthy window to entertain live-trade offers.

As reported by AFL.com.au on Wednesday, the expected deal sending both Brodie and pick No.19 to the Dockers would involve future selections.

The Dockers were initially reluctant to trade for Brodie and had hoped to negotiate a way to pick him up as a delisted player, despite having one year remaining on his contract.

But the club entered discussions linking both Brodie and pick No.19 once a deal sending Darcy McPherson to North Melbourne alongside the selection fell over.

While Brodie comes with a generous contract, the Dockers are understood to be capable of fitting both the midfielder and Clark within the cap space that had previously been committed to Cerra. – Nathan Schmook and Riley Beveridge

CATS, BOMBERS EYE GOALSNEAK

GEELONG is in a strong position to sign former Crow and Tiger Tyson Stengle but will have competition from Essendon as the Bombers search for a small forward.

Stengle can join any club as a delisted free agent after being cut by Adelaide earlier this year after a series of off-field incidents.

Geelong list boss Stephen Wells told SEN on Wednesday that the Cats were interested in the 22-year-old, who finished with 44 goals this season and a premiership for Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL.

But Wells also said the Cats weren't the only club looking at Stengle, with the Bombers considering him as they look at ways to bolster their small forward stocks after chasing Gold Coast goalkicker Malcolm Rosas.

Essendon's leading small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was in career-best form for the first half of the season before personal issues saw his impact drop away and he was left out of the side for the final month of the year.

McDonald-Tipungwuti is the only genuine small forward on Essendon's list, with Devon Smith and Will Snelling playing higher up the ground.

Geelong would appear to have the whip hand given the Cats' announcement of retired goalkicking legend Eddie Betts as a development coach, with Betts a mentor to Stengle in recent years.

Stengle was able to nominate for the NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft but was overlooked after Collingwood considered him closely, with the Magpies still believed to be in the mix with Stengle now available to clubs as a delisted free agent able to be signed outside of the draft process.

Interest in him has grown after he booted nine goals in Woodville-West Torrens' SANFL finals series, including three goals in their Grand Final win last weekend, and is viewed as the most talented small forward outside of the AFL system. – Callum Twomey  

X MARKS THE SPOT FOR SAINTS

NORTH Melbourne ruckman Tristan Xerri has notified the club that he would like to be traded to St Kilda.

AFL.com.au understands Xerri is keen to explore a move to the Saints, having fallen further down the pecking order at the Kangaroos due to the impending arrival of Tigers youngster Callum Coleman-Jones.

Despite the trade request, which arrived on Wednesday afternoon, North Melbourne is set to reiterate in talks with St Kilda that the 201cm youngster is contracted for next season and is still seen as a key part of the club's future behind the 33-year-old Todd Goldstein.

Xerri played eight games this season towards the back-half of the year, having initially been left out of the side in favour of the experienced Tom Campbell. He has featured 12 times at senior level in four seasons on the club's list.

However, the 22-year-old has emerged as a dominant player at VFL level and finished second in the club's reserves best and fairest after averaging 22 disposals, 26 hitouts and six clearances per game this season.

St Kilda currently has picks No.9, 62, 66, 67 and 85, but is also expected to need draft points to match bids on talented Next Generation Academy players Mitchito Owens and Marcus Windhager. – Riley Beveridge

BRANDER WON'T RULE OUT EAGLES RETURN

JARROD Brander would be open to continuing his career at West Coast if he is unable to find a new club during the Trade Period after Carlton chose not to pursue the versatile tall.

Brander remains hopeful of finding a new home in the next week and held discussions with Carlton before the Blues committed to Western Bulldogs tall Lewis Young instead.

The Eagles' position is that they would turn their attention to the 22-year-old's future at the club if a deal could not be done with another team.

In the scenario, however, there is no commitment from the Eagles to offer the former first-round draft pick a contract.

Brander's manager, David Trotter of Hemisphere Sports, told Trade Radio on Wednesday that he remained hopeful a new opportunity would emerge for key position player, who was used on the wing in 2021.

"If not, we'll go back to West Coast and see what the future looks like there," he said. – Nathan Schmook

IN OTHER NEWS:

- Melbourne has landed pick No.17 and Adelaide has secured a future first-round selection as part of a mega four-team trade on Wednesday. The Western Bulldogs and St Kilda were also involved in the deal.

- Fremantle is angling towards securing its first trade, with former top-10 pick Will Brodie poised to join from Gold Coast. The deal is also likely to see the Dockers land pick No.19 from the Suns.

- Jeremy Finlayson is officially a Port Adelaide player, with the club parting with a future third-round selection to secure the Greater Western Sydney forward. He has signed a three-year deal with the Power.

- Melbourne has signed Luke Dunstan as an unrestricted free agent.

- Collingwood will offer pick No.58 to the Western Bulldogs for uncontracted midfielder Patrick Lipinski. The selection is one the club secured from Gold Coast in a pick-swap earlier this week.