As news broke on Saturday morning of Zak Butters nominating his preferred new home immediately turned the question to how a deal gets done.
Butters has made clear he wants the Power to receive adequate compensation for his departure after leaving on good terms after eight years of service.
The Western Bulldogs currently have Picks 12, 30 and 48 this year, as well as all of their picks in the 2027 and 2028 drafts.
The issue when discussing a deal of such magnitude is that the introduction of Tasmania from next year's AFL Draft will limit the Dogs' currency with draft selections.
Despite the strength of particularly next year's draft, a first rounder will ostensibly be a second rounder once the Devils' bevy of draft concessions are accounted for. Though it is worth mentioning the Power will be on the hunt for draft points to match likely high picks for a pair of club-tied talents in next year's draft.
It puts the incumbency on the Dogs to likely find a way to give the Power currency in this year's draft or give up a player - or both.
Below are three potential scenarios which could play out.
Option 1: Involve GWS and Tim English
Port Adelaide get: 2026 first rounder (tied to Western Bulldogs), 2026 first rounder (tied to GWS), 2027 first rounder (tied to Western Bulldogs), 2027 third rounder (tied to GWS)
Western Bulldogs get: Zak Butters
Western Bulldogs put forward the tried-and-true line that the ruck would be traded under no circumstances last week...but how many times have we seen players leave after hearing that?
There is tension between English and the Dogs and he has been linked to GWS.
English is probably worth a first round selection and a later selection, for the sake of this exercise, a third round selection next year.
Western Bulldogs would do a trade with GWS, get the first and third round selections and then on-trade those to Port Adelaide, along with their own first round picks in 2026 and 2027.
Therefore, overall, Port Adelaide would receive two first round picks this year and a first and a third rounder in next year's compromised draft during a period where the list is in a state of flux.
It would also give them presence in this year's open pool - with a bid for Dougie Cochrane expected to come at Pick 1, as it stands, the Power would be forced to surrender their early draft capital this year to match a bid.
The complicating factor here is whether GWS would be willing to part with a first round selection.
One of the club's most promising junior talents, Ethan Matthews, is this year coming through the Giants' Academy and expected to land a bid in the top 10.
Were they to give up their early selection, the Giants would need to have a plan to get back in the early stage of this year's draft or risk missing out on Matthews.
