A pair of draft-night trades are reportedly slated to get things going when this year's count commences on Monday evening.
After no exchanges were orchestrated during the AFL's designated pick-trading window, it appears we'll be treated to at least two count-shaping trades next week.
According toย AFL Media journalist Cal Twomey, the Suns are preparing to facilitate two deals involving the rival Brisbane Lions and Fremantle, centring on selections 24 and 38.
Brisbane is set to trade for Gold Coast's pick 24 once the draft starts next week, while Fremantle is in box seat to trade up its third-round picks for the Suns' pick 38.
WB (for Darcy) & Lions (Ashcroft and Fletcher) both boosted their points haul with early trades those years. https://t.co/3Yb4iLOUJt
— Callum Twomey (@CalTwomey) November 16, 2023
As has been well-documented, the Suns are a certainty to match first-round rival bids for a trio of Gold Coast Academy talents -- Jed Walter, Jake Rogers, and Ethan Read -- while a fourth Suns Academy youngster, Will Graham, could also attract a contending bid during the following rounds' proceedings.
Needing to acquire the requisite draft points to match bids for the aforementioned youngsters, Gold Coast struck October trade deals with the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Adelaide Crows, and North Melbourne to gain a slew of additional selections at next week's count.
The Suns presently hold picks 24, 26, 27, 32, 36, and 38, with that tally of six selections looking near-certain to increase by next week.
Brisbane, meanwhile, boasts picks 30, 39, 51, 54, and 65, with the Lions' list bosses evidently eager to move up the order into early-second-round calculations.
SEE ALSO: 2023 DRAFT ORDER
The Dockers, too, appear to have their sights set on shifting up the draft ladder, with their cited third-round selections currently sitting at Nos. 46 and 60.
The first round of the 2023 National Draft will unfold at Marvel Stadium on Monday, November 20, with the following rounds scheduled for Tuesday evening.
