Geelong youngster Cooper Stephens might be made to wait until close to the trade deadline before finding out if a swap can be orchestrated to send him to Hawthorn.
The Cats are reportedly waiting for other dominoes to fall before focusing their attention on the 21-year-old, with a plethora of other trades set to go to the wire before the AFL trade period wraps up at 7:30 pm (AEDT) tonight.
Collingwood forward Ollie Henry's move to Kardinia Park looms as a nail-biter, with neither party seemingly willing to budge amid speculation that he might walk to the pre-season draft if compromise can't be struck.
Further complicating Stephens's move is the fact there is still uncertainty surrounding the futures of Hawks duo Jaeger O'Meara and Tom Mitchell.
Cooper Stephens has interest from Hawthorn & could be in brown & gold by the end of the day, but hawks busy with O'Meara & Mitchell & Cats trying to satisfy Pies for Henry. Stephens was pick 16 in 2019, contracted & a handful of games in '22 but opportunities look slim next year.
— Sam Edmund (@Sammy__Edmund) October 11, 2022
The lack of opportunities in the Cats evergreen midfield appears to be a prime motivator for Stephens looking to the exit.
Any doubts he had over potential opportunities in 2023 were certainly not assuaged by reports that Geelong coach Chris Scott has assured Jack Bowes of a place in the Cats midfield.
A trade embargo lifts at 3:00 pm (AEDT) this afternoon, with plenty of trades still incomplete heading into the final four-and-a half hour window of the 2022 Trade Period.
