Sam Edmund’s trade update on Crozier, Chol, Shiel, Gresham and more

The trade period is looming large.

SEN’s Sam Edmund has provided some information on a number of players and clubs who are expected to do some business once the trade period opens.

Read the latest below:

Ben McKay, North Melbourne and Essendon

“There’s no way they’re letting him go without getting guarantees that it’s top-tier compensation,” Edmund said on SEN’s Whateley.

“So in that case it would be Pick 3 otherwise I take it that North Melbourne will match and make it really difficult.

“At this stage, North gets 2, 3, 16 and 19, Ben McKay gets to Essendon, but only if they get that top-tier compensation.”

Buku Khamis (Western Bulldogs)

“Just staying on North, they’re in the mix for that fringe Bulldog Buku Khamis.”

Hayden Crozier (Western Bulldogs)

“Another Western Bulldog, Hayden Crozier, who has fallen out of favour at the Whitten Oval in more recent times after crossing from Fremantle.

“Some interest from Carlton here. That might yet be as a delisted free agent. It’s hard to know what is going to happen there with Hayden Crozier who is out of contract at the end of the year.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Carlton pursue him a little bit further in the coming weeks and months.”

Elijah Hollands (Gold Coast)

“Highly likely to leave (the Suns).

“I think it is going to be Carlton. The Blues might have (Josh) Honey, (Lachie) Plowman, (Paddy) Dow and Ed Curnow leaving, and I’ve left a couple off there.

“There is an expectation they can nab Elijah Hollands with a future pick to satisfy Gold Coast. He was Pick 7 in the 2020 draft, he’s played only 13 games in that time.

“For the right deal, my understanding is Gold Coast would allow him to leave. Carlton obviously has the family link there (with brother Ollie). But it goes beyond that, they’ve got a real interest in the player.

“He missed his draft year with that ACL injury. He was touted as a potential number one pick before that. A largely untapped and unfulfilled talent.

“You’d have Carlton in the box seat without any guarantees.”

Mabior Chol (Gold Coast)

“He’s a man in demand – Brisbane, Adelaide, Hawthorn and North Melbourne have been mentioned.

“They (the Roos) have been sniffing. He’s said to not be on the same level of interest as those former three clubs – the Lions, the Crows and the Hawks.

“Does have two years to run on a contract so would stay, but he and the club feel he just won’t be playing. Initially he wanted to stay but then clubs reach out, they sense an opportunity and then it perhaps becomes clear from the player’s point of view that with some serious Academy talent coming there, why would I stay?

“At 26, obviously he needs to play. He’s put himself on show in recent weeks with an encouraging VFL campaign to finish. A lot of interest in him, we await a decision from that player.

“But certainly a man in demand. He has the talent but for whatever reason hasn’t been able to string it together consistently.”

Race for Gold Coast’s Pick 4

“This is hotting up. The Western Bulldogs have long been seen as the frontrunner.

“North Melbourne had told Gold Coast, ‘just wait, just wait, we’re waiting on our special assistant package, we might be at the table here’. So whether they have enough to compete with the Western Bulldogs.

“On the surface they do. What they’re willing to give up to get it in is another question altogether. We know it’s up for grabs, for obvious reasons, to the highest bidder.

“It will be changing hands. Whether North can compete with the Bulldogs remains to be seen, or whether North pivot and go for Melbourne’s first pick.”

Dylan Shiel (Essendon) & Jade Gresham (St Kilda)

“The theory is, as reported in the Herald Sun yesterday, Essendon has an abundance of midfielders and Dylan Shiel turns 31 in March.

“He’s coming off a 12-game season and coming into the last year of his contract on a decent wage. This was his big six-year deal when crossing from the Giants when Carlton came hard for him.

“St Kilda aren’t interested in keeping Jade Gresham despite what they say publicly. He’s also well paid, and they need more midfield support.

“Gresham would leave as a free agent and because Essendon would pay him enough it gives St Kilda either a first-round or end of first-round compensation pick. It would be 13 given their first pick is 12, or at the end of the first round of course.

“Then the trade period sometime later, St Kilda send a pick back to Essendon for Shiel. The theory goes it could be that same pick that they use in the Gresham deal. List managers I’ve spoken to said they would be floored if the Saints gave up a first-rounder for Shiel.

“They’ve got 31 so it would be more likely that the Saints would give up 31, or that second-round pick for Shiel and Essendon allow it given the Saints would be taking on Dylan Shiel’s wage at the same time.

“Essentially it’s a pick buy. St Kilda will be buying a pick here.”