Melbourne have confirmed young tall Luke Jackson has requested a move to Western Australia.
A decision seen coming for some time, the club confined on Tuesday that the 20-year-old will seek a move back to his home state, joining either Fremantle or West Coast.
"Luke Jackson has today informed the Melbourne Football Club of his desire to return home to Western Australia," a club statement reads.
"Melbourne will now work with West Coast and Fremantle to secure a suitable trade."
The request is a huge blow for the Demons, who have developed Jackson into a young stat across three seasons at the club, having recruited the ruck-forward with the third overall selection in the 2019 National Draft.
“There is no doubt that we wanted Luke to remain at the Demons, but we respect his decision to want to return home to Western Australia to be closer to his family and friends," Demons list manager Tim Lamb said in the club statement.
“We will now work to secure a deal that compensates the club accordingly."
Jackson has played 52 games in the red and blue since making his debut in 2020, a spell that included a pivotal role in the club's 2021 premiership run.
The Dockers or Eagles are both likely to be required to hand over a significant trade package to land Jackson's services, with the former seen as the front-runner for the wantaway Demon.
At this year's draft, the Dockers have Picks 13, 72 and 85, and will likely need to send a package that includes their first-round selections for 2022 and 2023.
The Eagles hold picks 2, 20, 26, 38 and 74 at this year's National Draft, but will be required to gain an exemption from the AFL to trade their first-round selection.
