Brisbane is gunning for Port Adelaide's Pick 12 in a bid to get ahead of the looming bid on Lions academy gun Caylen Murray.
The 2026 AFL Draft is set to kick off next week, with clubs ramping up talks regarding what their current draft hand or 2027 draft hand can look like.
The Power is open to trading out its Pick 12 as it prepares to secure enough draft points to land Pick 1 fancy and father-son gun Dougie Cochrane. The Alberton club will need to satisfy 2700 points minus the potential use of the 412 deficit points AFL clubs are afforded.
The Lions have worked hard with rival clubs to net three selections between 20 and 30, but according to AFL Media, they're wanting to snare Port Adelaide's Pick 12 as Sydney and Melbourne have shown interest.
The Demons and Swans have three selections combined inside the top 14, while Brisbane will need to factor in the 20 per cent loading for Murray after they won the premiership. As it stands, the Lions could only match a bid at Pick 15 with its current top two selections.
Brisbane has two 2027 first-round selections, courtesy of St Kilda's trade for Sam Marshall, whilst also holding onto their own.
The Lions could use Pick 21 and a future first to acquire Port Adelaide's Pick 12, a deal the Power could consider given it still satisfies the Cochrane bid at Pick 1.
If the deal were to be completed, it would net the Alberton club four first-round selections in 2027, albeit in a Tasmania-heavily influenced draft.
Port Adelaide has multiple club-tied prospects in Zemes Pilot and Louis Salopek they will look to bring into the club in 12 months' time, but its strong draft hand, which also has Richmond's 2027 second-round selection, could be used on St Kilda's Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
The star Saint comes out of contract next year and will require a trade to be brokered if he is to return to South Australia.
Wanganeen-Milera considered returning to his home state in 2025, but ultimately he re-signed for two years, worth $4 million, until the end of 2027.
Close friend and Port Adelaide star Jason Horne-Francis says he will do everything to reunite with Wanganeen-Milera in 2028, saying the close-knit group of the duo, as well as Jase Burgoyne and soon-to-be Power player Isaac Keeler, can play a role in luring him across the border.
“Not only because (Wanganeen-Milera) is a great footballer, he's one of our great mates, and we love being around him,” Horne-Francis said on the Dyl and Friends podcast.
“He brings so much energy to us, me and Jase, and I know he would bring a lot of energy to the group and they would love him as well.
“He's a tremendous footballer, and in his draft year I didn't think he was going to reach these heights; he was a skinny wingman, and he's taken his development to another level, and he's one of the best players in the comp, and if we could get him over the line it would be great.
“I think we might be getting Isaac over the line as well, so that would be good to help get Nas over there. I think the club is trying to play on that a bit, and we will see what happens there, but it's a good move. Isaac is a great fella, and hopefully he's going to get his second chance and go well, and we are excited to have him at the club too.”
