Essendon should be getting very excited that a quality young talent such as Jaeger O'Meara or Caleb Marchbank could slip through to them via the pre-season draft, according to Brian Waldron.
Waldron is adamant that the O’Meara deal is firmly at the crossroads, with Gold Coast President Tony Cochrane standing firm and Hawthorn seemingly having very little left to give.
“I think there’s a real problem with the O’Meara deal,” he told KB on Hungry for Sport.
“From what I understand the bloke up there (Suns President) Tony Cochrane will stand on his dig.
“With Tom Mitchell (likely) going for pick 14, I think the issue is they (Hawthorn) have nothing left to give.
“I don’t know how it can get done.”
Click here to view Jaeger O'Meara's Inside Football Player Ratings
Click here to view Tom Mitchell's Inside Football Player Ratings
He sees with no players seemingly keen to head to the Gold Coast, the game has real issues.
The other problem that the game’s got right now is that the Gold Coast have had a crack at (Nathan) Hrovat from the Dogs, Lin Jong, (Michael) Barlow, (Luke) Bruest and (Zac) Tuohy and none of them want to go there,” said Waldron.
“They have a distinct problem with the perception of the Gold Coast, the game does.
“If nobody wants to go there…the game’s got some problems.”
Pick five will be required to seal Marchbank deal
Waldron is similarly resolute in his belief that Carlton will have to give up pick five in order to secure the signature of GWS young defender Marchbank, or else he too could be a pre-season draft candidate for the Bombers.
“I think Essendon are the ones licking their chops at the moment, because I hear the Marchbank deal is doubt too,” he said.
“Carlton won’t give (pick) five, so GWS won’t budge.
“Caleb Marchbank led GWS down the path I understand of not sure, not sure, (yet) all along he had done a deal with Carlton.
“I think GWS are saying mate no worries, you want to go there, you make sure we get compensation…if they don’t give five I don’t think he will go there (Carlton).”
Click here to view Caleb Marchbank's Inside Football Player Ratings