The Gold Coast Suns are willing to offer pick 7 as well as Jack Bowes to interested clubs, reports AFL Media’s Cal Twomey.
The Suns are eager to ease salary cap pressure by offloading former no.10 pick Bowes, who still has two years to run on his current contract, and sweetening it with the 7th selection in this year’s draft.
Twomey understands that four Victorian clubs - Hawthorn, St Kilda, Geelong and Essendon - are showing interest in the combination.
Bowes, a Cairns native, has reportedly told the Suns he is open to being traded.
“Gold Coast is prepared to offload pick number 7 at this year’s draft as well as Jack Bowes to a club willing to take on the remaining two years of Bowes’ salary,” Twomey said on SEN Breakfast.
“He has two years left on that deal which is heavily back-ended, so it’s a lot of money, but the sweetener is clubs would essentially be buying that pick 7 off the Suns.
“There’s a few in the market for it. Hawthorn, St Kilda, Geelong and Essendon have all shown interest in doing it, and of course getting Bowes too.
“He had a tough year with his shoulder injury, but the Suns are getting ahead of their salary cap pressure and trying to ease that this trade period.
“The league is willing to let these one-sided salary dumps go through this year than ever before.
“Pick 7 being involved though is the big thing because clubs are going to want to take that off their hands.”
What do the Suns get out of the deal?
“The motivation is to free up the salary cap space and ease that pressure,” he added.
“They do have some re-signings that are important next year in Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson.
“And also in time they’re going to be a destination club. I can see the Suns becoming like Brisbane has become.
“They’re likely to get pick 5 as part of the Izak Rankine deal so they will still have a foot at the front of the draft.”
Bowes was drafted in 2016 and has played 83 games across six seasons with Gold Coast.
He played just five games in 2022 having enjoyed a career-best year in 2021 when he played 19 games and averaged 21 disposals playing primarily off half-back.