Will late draft selection be enough for Saints to land wantaway Dog Macrae?

How will St Kilda get the deal done for wantaway Western Bulldogs midfielder Jack Macrae this trade period?

That’s one intriguing question on the mind of AFL Media’s Josh Gabelich after the three-time All-Australian requested a trade to Moorabbin last month.

Gabelich spoke of Macrae’s desire to move after he was often squeezed out of the Bulldogs’ starting 22 in 2024, while he expects the clubs involved to go through protracted negotiations to get the best deal for their side.

“He was clearly squeezed of opportunities this year,” Gabelich told AFL Trade Radio.

“He played 19 games but was sub four times including in the Elimination Final, which was the clincher, it just signalled the end. He couldn't go through another year of being on the fringes and needed a bit more opportunity.

“Hopefully that comes at St Kilda for him because he's been a star for a long time, clearly a three-time All-Australian.

“I’m intrigued to see what gets this deal done because St Kilda has pick 24 and they’ve got pick 43.

“I don't know if the Western Bulldogs are going to be satisfied by pick 43 despite the fact he is 29 years of age. St Kilda's not going to want to relinquish pick 24, are they?

“I think this is going to be one that goes for a little bit of time between Sam Power - who we know drives a really hard bargain – and Stephen Silvagni and Graeme ‘Gubby’ Allen.”

While Gabelich expects the Bulldogs to push hard for quality compensation, he thinks that St Kilda’s pick 43 could be the selection that gets the deal done given Macrae’s recent form and the fact that he turned 30 in August.

“I’m intrigued to see what gets this done in the end. Pick 43 feels probably about right, especially in a deep draft,” Gabelich said.

“I think you've got to remove CVs from some of these conversations and you look at the player that you're getting right now, which is difficult to do because we judge players on what they’ve achieved to date.

“But at 30, has he got three or four years left in him? It’s going to be an interesting negotiation.”

Macrae won a premiership, earned three All-Australians and won the 2021 Gary Ayres Medal across his 249 games in the red, white and blue.