The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.
Richmond will do all it can to assist Dan Butler in landing a new home, with the Tigers aware his preferred destination lies at St Kilda for 2020.
Left out of this year's flag, the 2017 premiership forward has expressed a desire to continue his career elsewhere after being starved of opportunities at Punt Road.
While the Saints are interested in Butler, he falls fifth in line of their priorities behind Port Adelaide pair Dougal Howard and Paddy Ryder, Fremantle's Bradley Hill and Sydney's Zak Jones.
AFL.com.au understands Butler will walk for next to nothing, with the Tigers well aware of St Kilda's long list of demands this Telstra AFL Trade Period.
Butler, who is currently holidaying with Tigers teammates, has met with several clubs including the Saints and Carlton.
His manager Alex McDonald of Hemisphere Management revealed to Telstra AFL Trade Radio this week he was forced to clarify mixed messaging from the Blues this week around his client.
Blues GM of list management and strategy Stephen Silvagni said on Monday the Blues had little interest in Butler, only minutes before list manager Michael Agresta admitted the club was still working through a process around the small forward.
Should the Blues miss out on Sydney target Tom Papley, their intent for Butler could increase again.
Richmond's asking price falls in line with deals it did last year for Corey Ellis and Anthony Miles (combined for a swap of future third-round picks with Gold Coast), Sam Lloyd (pick 64) and Tyson Stengle (68).
Meanwhile, Butler's Richmond teammate Connor Menadue has received interest from Fremantle as the Dockers look to replace wingmen Ed Langdon (Melbourne) and potentially Bradley Hill.
The Tigers currently hold picks 19, 38, 39, 41, 75 and 77. - Mitch Cleary
RELATED: Telstra Trade Hub - Presented by Mazda
Options drying up
The odds of Sam Gray remaining at Port Adelaide are shortening by the day.
Dan Butler looks increasingly likely to be a Saint, while Melbourne football boss Josh Mahoney effectively ruled out trading for a small forward on Telstra AFL Trade Radio on Friday.
Gray and St Kilda-bound Paddy Ryder were encouraged to explore their opportunities during their exit meetings.
Carlton, Gold Coast and the Saints and Demons were among the clubs with varying interest in the 27-year-old throughout the season.
However, Gray seems most likely now to accept a one-year deal to stay at Alberton.
Mahoney's Melbourne, which missed out on Jamie Elliott, is still keen to upgrade its small forward stocks but he hinted the club may instead do so in next month's draft.
"It's an area we want to look to address – that small, crumbing forward – and there might be some players on our list who can play that role," Mahoney said.
"In 2018, we were the No.1 scoring team. It didn't work this year for a number of different reasons but we think there's still enough power there to kick winning scores."
Is this the circuit-breaking deal?
St Kilda's ability to negotiate a complicated trade puzzle will be a source of fascination between now and Wednesday's deadline.
Bradley Hill, Paddy Ryder, Zak Jones and Dougal Howard all want to play for the Saints, but the hard part is figuring out how to broker the deals.
Hill and Howard loom as arguably the toughest ones to complete, but there might be a solution that could help bring both players through the doors to Moorabbin.
St Kilda's decision to 'split' pick six and turn it into Nos.12 and 18 in a trade with Greater Western Sydney attracted headlines on Thursday.
Fremantle had long stipulated that No.6 must be part of any deal for Hill, so it was a somewhat surprise move from the Saints, after the Dockers upped the ante to dual first-round selections.
Meanwhile, Port Adelaide believes 199cm swingman Howard is worth a first-round pick – and has set its sights on St Kilda's 18 – while Ryder may end up being packaged in the same trade.
The Power used the same selection to draft young gun Xavier Duursma last year.
Could the Saints send picks 12 and 18 to Port Adelaide for 10, Howard and Ryder (with some late assets from both clubs possibly being involved as well)?
Power father-son prospect Jackson Mead is most likely to draw a bid somewhere from the very late teens to the mid-20s.
They could match that Mead bid with their No.29 and potentially end up with three selections in the top 25.
The Saints having a top-10 choice again would also help revive the Hill negotiations. - Marc McGowan
In other news
- West Coast moved up the draft order after orchestrating a late swap of picks with Brisbane
- Melbourne added some much-needed outside run by securing Ed Langdon from Fremantle in a complicated trade that saw five picks change hands
- Hawthorn gave up its future second-round pick and swapped other picks to secure defender Sam Frost from Melbourne.
- Essendon won a commitment from a second Irishman, with key-position prospect Cian McBride set to be a Bomber in 2020.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.
