Demons great Garry Lyon has urged for his former club to pursue out-of-contract Sun Jack Martin.
After Gold Coast and Carlton failed to strike a deal during the trade period, Martin appears set to join the Blues via the the pre-season draft.
The 24-year old's manager recently told SEN’s Bob and Andy that he was "completely focused" on making his client a Blue.
However, Lyon has implored that Melbourne throw their hat in the ring for the classy onballer, who are higher than Carlton on the draft board.
“Melbourne wouldn’t be doing any favours to Carlton or Jack Martin or anyone else by saying to them right now, ‘Nah, we’re not interested’,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“Just turn around and say, ‘Damn straight we’re interested in Jack Martin. He’s exactly the sort of player our footy club could do with. Quick, skilful, (good) goal sense.
“‘So you go and do what you want to do and you manufacture your deal so it suits you all you want but I’m telling you right now that he is right in our wheelhouse and he’s in the pre-season draft at three then we are damn well looking at him’.”
Salary cap restraints may be the biggest road block in the way of Martin becoming a Demon, with the Blues reportedly offering a lucrative deal.
Lyon suggested that if the Demons were serious about getting him, they should be prepared to pay up.
“You don’t have to speculate on that (the cap). Why would you do a favour to Carlton and say he’s out of our price range?" he said.
“If you want him bad enough, of course you can afford him. You make room in your salary cap, every club does that.
“You back-end, you extend and push some money out, you can do it.
“All I’m saying is, why would you be sitting there saying, ‘No, count us out’.”