Talks are underway on a deal that will hand North Melbourne the first two picks in this year’s draft.
While the Kangaroos already hold pick No.1, they’ll also get their hands on pick No.2 should the mooted deal come through.
The proposed trade has West Coast parting with pick No.2 and Junior Rioli for Port Adelaide’s pick No.8 and a future first-round selection, the Power getting both Rioli and Jason Horne-Francis for those two first-round picks and the Kangaroos receiving pick No.2 and an additional player or pick for giving up Horne-Francis.
While it’s been questioned why the Eagles would give up their prized selection and Rioli for two first-rounders of lesser value, former West Coast defender Brad Sheppard understands why the club may be keen on getting the deal done.
With the top-10 in this year’s draft reportedly very even once Brisbane father-son Will Ashcroft is off the board, Sheppard views a slide from pick 2 to 8 as not as significant in comparison to past years, particularly as a local WA product is in the club’s sights.
West Australian midfielder Reuben Ginbey was listed at number eight in Cal Twomey’s phantom form guide on AFL.com.au and Sheppard is certain the “future 200-gamer” is who the Eagles want to select.
“They’re going to slide down six spots in the draft this year,” he said on SEN WA’s The Run Home.
“I’ve sort of been up close and personal with a bloke from WA called Reuben Ginbey, he won the player of the carnival in the state under-18s.
“He’s a left-footer, a big-bodied midfielder, he can play half-back as well … he has leadership qualities all over him and he’s going to be a future 200-gamer to any team he goes to.
“He’s someone you can build a club around, I think the high-end talent in this year’s draft is pretty strong.
“From (pick) one to about 15 (it’s very even), yes, Ashcroft is a clear number one, but you can throw a net over about six or seven of them that will offer something quite unique.
“Being West Coast and even Fremantle, the lure to go home, when I was coming through the draft … they (the Eagles) were targeting WA players just for fear of (draftees) potentially going back home.
“They had pick three which was Chris Judd, he was a superstar but went home.
“If there’s a WA talent compared to a talent from over east, I think you go with the local talent just so there’s never any incentive to leave at any given stage.”
Ginbey has been ranked as the state’s best prospect on Twomey’s form guide, with Swan Districts midfielder Elijah Hewett the next best at number 12.