THE WESTERN Bulldogs will continue to chase two first-round picks for Josh Dunkley after Brisbane traded out its early pick for more draft points on Wednesday.
With less than a week to go before next Wednesday night's Continental Tyres Trade Period deadline, there is little progress on a deal that would send Dunkley to his nominated new home at the Gabba, with the pre-season draft a growing possibility.
The Lions traded their pick 15 for No.21 in a swap with the Giants on Wednesday, before landing picks No.25, 36 and 56 in the deal that sent Tom Berry to Gold Coast. The Lions also received a future second-round pick from the Giants but traded it, along with pick No.46, to Gold Coast.
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The move gave them nearly 900 more points to match father-son bids on potential No.1 pick Will Ashcroft and fellow first-rounder Jaspa Fletcher, but it leaves the Dunkley discussions at an impasse as the Dogs push for two first-round picks for their best-and-fairest winner.
The Lions put forward pick 15 and a future first-round pick for Dunkley but were keen to get picks 30, 39 and a future third-round back, which would have seen them essentially splitting for points as well as getting Dunkley.
They look most likely to hold pick No.21 until draft night, when they can trade it out for more points if a bid comes on Ashcroft at No.1.
Tim Taranto's trade price for his move from Greater Western Sydney to Richmond – which cost the Tigers picks 12 and 19 – could set the level for the Dogs. With the Lions predicted to again be in the premiership race next year and with potentially two first-round Academy bids shaping next season, that pick would be expected to be between 15-20.
With Brisbane's hand of selections now skinnier, the Bulldogs could enquire about Lions players to form part of the deal. Whilst established players would be unlikely to make any move, the Dogs could look at younger players recently drafted who are of first-round value.
Brisbane, however, is not prepared to deal players to land Dunkley.
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If a deal is not reached, Dunkley would have to head into the pre-season draft in his bid to get to Brisbane, but Lions football boss Danny Daly said on Thursday the club was confident it would reach an agreement.
"We feel like we're on track to get the deal done at some stage, but out of respect for the Dogs I can't go into what that looks like at the minute. We're working towards that at the minute and hopefully it will all be ticked off in the next few days or so," Daly told AFL Trade Radio.
