Melbourne General Manager of Football Josh Mahoney has revealed his club would have to trade Jesse Hogan to be able to afford Steven May.
In a candid interview on NAB AFL Trade Radio, Mahoney said Hogan will tell the Dees of his decision before Monday.
“Jesse’s got a bit of thinking to do over the next few days and it’s probably a conversation we had at the end of the season with Jesse about his future,” Mahoney told NAB AFL Trade Radio.
“He’s at a stage of his career where he’s got to work out what’s best for him and one option he wants to consider is going back to Perth and he’s going to take the next few days to think about that. It’s certainly a chance at this stage.
“Through his management he’ll come back to us before the trade period starts on Monday.”
Mahoney expects the club to be compensated quite well by the Dockers should Hogan choose to go there.
“If you stack up a 23-year-old key forward and everything he’s done over his career stacks up against everyone so we think he’s right up with the highest anyone’s been traded for and we think Fremantle might have that opportunity with picks they may gain,” he said.
The Dockers could have two top 10 draft picks if midfielder Lachie Neale decides to move to Brisbane.
Hogan going out would open the door for Melbourne to target a big name and Mahoney revealed the club has met with Steven May “twice”.
“As a club we have to look at every possible opportunity and Steven May is a player we’ve been tracking for a little while,” he said.
“We think as a club if he decides to come to Melbourne, we’d be a really good choice for him.
“We’d be able to do a deal if that opportunity does come.
“We wouldn’t be able to afford Steven May with Jesse on our list so that’s the way they’re linked and it’s an opportunity that is created for us, but there’s a decision to be made by Jesse first of all.”