Damo Says Geelong Facing Logjam Of Trade Targets

Triple M Footy’s Damian Barrett believes Geelong are going to find it difficult to accommodate their “logjam” of trade targets this year.

The Cats will be hoping to acquire former Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett, Bulldogs premiership forward Jake Stringer and GWS star Devon Smith next month.

However, Damo says Geelong’s poor draft position, thanks largely to future trading in recent years, has made their task of ticking off their 2017 trade wishlist very tough.

“It’s going to be a logjam to find players new homes at the Cats,” Damo told The Midweek Rub during Triple M’s Rush Hour. 

“Ablett is already going to go there, there is an interest in Devon Smith and I believe Jake Stringer will also find his way to the Cats. 

“It’s going to be difficult because their first pick in this year’s draft is actually Carlton’s second pick which, as it stands, is 20. That was part of the Zach Tuohy negotiations.”

While Damo thinks Stringer is worth pick 20, he warned that any potential trade for the All-Australian player might not be that simple.

“There’ll be more around it, they might need a third party, they may need another player, they may need another pick,” he said. 

“But that to me is the reading because it’s the Bulldogs who have actually gone out there and tarnished Jake Stringer’s legacy, really.

“The currency that he’s got was diminished on the back of Luke Beveridge going public.” 

While Geelong are the front runners for Stringer in Damo’s opinion, he also said Essendon were still well and truly in the hunt for his signature.