West Coast Eagles list boss Matthew Clarke concedes the potential acquisition of enigmatic Cat Gryan Miers is an "unlikely" one, despite the 27-year-old undergoing a medical with the Perth-based club in recent days.
Miers is one of many players the Eagles are circling this trade period, in a bid to add some much-needed experience to what is still a young list.
A 2022 premiership player with the Cats, Miers is both contracted and content, marking a play for his services as a difficult one.
"We've asked his management group mid-year and followed that through - they were really good to deal with, and in keeping Geelong aware. It sits with them now," Clarke told reporters at the opening of this year's trade period.
"More than likely, he's staying in Geelong, I would've thought - he's heavily contracted.
"The only thing that Gryan would say is that he wants to continue to play really high-level footy, and he said that to a number of people. But I think he's really comfortable with Geelong at this stage...so I think he's going to be playing for the Cats next year.
"We haven't had discussions with Geelong yet, (but) I'm sure we'll speak in the next couple of days. There's plenty more interest on our part than theirs, so if they don't want to entertain that, that's okay. We'll get to a level where we think it's a reasonable deal for them and us. If that's not suitable, we'll just sit."
Clarke is far more confident in the pitch delivered to Demons' midfielder Jack Viney, but realises the nature of a potential move across the country for the ageing bull and his family weighs heavily in the 2021 premiership player's thinking.
"We think we've presented a strong case with Jack, as to why he'd be a great fit for our footy club from a playing point of view, and what he brings as a leader and a culture-shaper," Clarke said.
When pressed as to whether or not he expects the Demons to pony up any of Viney's salary, should he move, Clarke admitted talks are yet to progress to that point.
"I haven't discussed anything like that at the moment. We need to find out if Jack actually wants to come play for the Eagles, and we'll work from there."
When asked about the club's pursuit of Viney's premiership teammate Trent Rivers, Clarke was similarly frank about the player's commitment to his current side.
"Trent's got some interest in playing the best level (of) footy he can, and he came back in the last year with the Dees and played that," he said.
"He'll obviously have a look at where he sits this year, or the next 12 months as a free agent. He hasn't indicated strongly that he definitely wants to play for us by any stretch. He's pretty committed to the Dees."
Rivers' friendship with Sydney Swan Chad Warner was presented as a potential reason for a play for Rivers, with a potential reunion of the junior teammates in their home state on the cards, should Warner exercise his free agency rights next year.
Clarke does not envisage that potential reunion being a determining factor in the decisions of either player, this year or next.
"You probably have to ask Chad and Trent for (their thoughts on) that," Clarke said.
"They're both WA boys, (who) have played together, but I don't think that's a massive case for Chad."
Clarke said he would "never say never" to moving from Pick 3 in this year's draft, despite the backlash received for doing so, which subsequently cost his side Jagga Smith in 2024.
Clarke is, however, buoyed by the calibre of player likely to be available at that selection.
"You never say never to moving Pick 3 - I've done that before. That's sort of got me a little bit of strife, hasn't it?" he joked.
"We might move Pick 3 into Pick 2, so I'm not going to say we're not going to move it. Given the calibre of players we think is (sic) going to be around that pick, both from a talent point of view and a position point of view, we think that's a really good spot for us to settle. We can't see us moving."
