THERE will be more than a few anxious players and clubs as we enter the second last day of the NAB AFL Trade Period.
Several significant trades are yet to be confirmed, including Carlton playmaker Bryce Gibbs' bid to return to Adelaide, Gold Coast midfielder Jaeger O'Meara's intended move to Hawthorn, Suns teammate Dion Prestia's transfer to Richmond, Bomber defender Michael Hibberd's switch to Melbourne, and Richmond veteran Brett Deledio's desire to become a Cat.
Among the headlines on Tuesday, Hawthorn veteran Jordan Lewis was granted his wish to join Melbourne, Pearce Hanley became a Sun and premiership Bulldog Joel Hamling found a new home at Fremantle.
The trade period closes at 2pm on Thursday, and until then AFL.com.au'sTrade Winds will wrap up all of the latest action.
Jaeger's draft possibility
AFL.com.au says Gold Coast is considering Hawthorn's latest offer forJaeger O'Meara, picks 10 and 48, and may abandon its insistence on experienced players in return from Hawks, with the possibility of gaining some experience through other deals.
However, Herald Sun reports that Hawthorn may still abandon its discussions over O'Meara, which would raise a series of unpalatable possibilities for the Suns.
The newspaper reports that if the talks fall over completely, O'Meara, 22, could be forced to nominate for either the NAB AFL Draft or the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft, which would leave the Suns empty-handed.
In that case, and with clubs such as Essendon also keen on O'Meara, it has been suggested he could put a big price on his head and hope he gets to Hawthorn, or sign just a one-year deal with a rival.
Far more remote is the option of standing out of the game for a season, with O'Meara's manager Colin Young remains confident a deal will be done with Hawthorn before the trade deadline on Thursday.
Magpies at Witts' end
The Age reports that Gold Coast will secure Collingwood ruckman Jarrod Witts for pick 44 and a little more compensation for the Pies.
It also said a deal was close to being concluded for Gold Coast midfielder Dion Prestia to move to Richmond, with pick six expected to move in the other direction.
The Age said negotiations for Essendon defender Michael Hibberd's move to Melbourne were not progressing, with the Demons insisting that the Bombers accept a second-round pick for next season rather than this year's second-round pick.
Giving the Dons this year's pick would leave Melbourne out of the draft until pick 56.
Meanwhile, Essendon is expected to gain GWS forward James Stewart for a late draft pick or in the pre-season draft.
Crows don't need Gibbs, say ex-players
As Adelaide continues to try to satisfy Carlton in a trade for star Blue Bryce Gibbs, some former stars have questioned whether he is the right fit for the Crows.
Tyson Edwards, Adelaide's 1997-98 premiership player and 321-game great, and former Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi don't believe Gibbs would fill the Crows' requirement for more outside run.
Edwards told The Advertiser that Gibbs "at his age (28 next season), for what he brings, is not what the Crows need."
"For the Crows to win a premiership, Gibbs – who is a super player – is not the player they necessarily need. That is, an outside ball carrier who quickens them up."
Cassisi believes the Crows already boast a Gibbs clone in young midfielder Matt Crouch, 21.
"(Crouch) accumulates possessions, used the ball quite well and, with his (older) brother Brad, he will only get better," Cassisi said.
Lewis will fast-track Dees, says Paul Roos
Recently retired former Melbourne coach Paul Roos has backed the Demons' shock trade swoop for Hawthorn starJordan Lewis.
Roos conceded he was still "trying to make some sense" of the Hawks' decision to release evergreen veterans Lewis and Sam Mitchell (to West Coast) in exchange for very little, but believed Lewis would help the Demons in their quest for their first finals appearance since 2006 under new coach Simon Goodwin.
"For still a very young team, I think his experience in particular is really going to help guys like (Angus) Brayshaw, (Christian) Petracca and (Clayton) Oliver," Roos told the Herald Sun from Hawaii.
"You just can't buy that sort of experience. It's very difficult to bring in someone who has won four premierships just like that, so this is a great move for Melbourne, a really good get, and I think it's really going to help fast-track their development."
