Sydney may deal with Port Adelaide, arch-rival of the Crows, Jordan Dawson’s preferred destination. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Day two of the 2021 AFL trade period was much like the opening day – not a whole lot of action.

But while the first player did make his way to a new club, unlike day one, which produced just one deal solely involving trade picks between Collingwood and Gold Coast, the biggest news of the day involved the stalemate involving Sydney and Adelaide over Jordan Dawson.

Swans football manager Charlie Gardiner floated the possibility of his club dealing with the Crows’ arch-rival Port Adelaide if it meant securing the best possible deal, while still getting Dawson back to his native South Australia, or even walking the talented 24-year-old to the pre-season draft and losing him for nothing.

That drama overshadowed inexperienced Geelong big man Nathan Kreuger joining the Magpies, along with pick 55, in exchange for Collingwood’s 41st selection overall at this year’s national draft.

“Jordan has nominated Adelaide, which he is entitled to do. Our interest is to secure the right deal for him, so we’d obviously be open to discussions (with Port Adelaide),” Gardiner told AFL Trade Radio.

As for subjecting him to the uncertainty of the pre-season draft, Gardiner said: “It is one possible outcome. But our priority is to reach a fair and reasonable outcome for a very high-quality player. We had a five-year deal in front of him. It was a significant offer.”

According to Fox Footy, Adelaide could acquire pick 17 from the Western Bulldogs and offer that to the Swans for Dawson.

Gardiner didn’t rule out recruiting Port Adelaide ruckman Peter Ladhams, either, but intimated the Power big man probably wasn’t high on the Swans’ priority list at this stage.

“Peter Ladhams was one we inquired about last year, (but) we were able to secure Tom Hickey who had a fantastic year. Our circumstances have changed,” Gardiner told SEN.

“His management has reached out … I don’t think it’s progressed much further, but that’s something we’ll consider.”

In his three years at Kardinia Park, Kreuger only managed two games for the Cats late in the 2021 home-and-away season, and at 196 centimetres, he looks to be filling a need for height up forward for the Magpies.

With Mason Cox seemingly on his way out, and Darcy Cameron and Brody Mihocek really the Pies’ only established talls in attack, Kreuger will help bolster a very green group of key forwards which features the likes of Will Kelly, Ashley Johnson and Liam McMahon.

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“Geelong gave me my first chance and I’ll be forever grateful for that,” Kreuger said. “I thank those who nurtured me and showed me the way and I know they understand why Collingwood is the right place for me to take my career. I’m really looking forward to fitting in with a young group and experiencing the Collingwood way.”

Collingwood football manager Graham Wright said the club had been interested in Kreuger for quite some time.

“We like his athleticism and speed and, at 22 years of age, he can grow with our program,” Wright said. “He is versatile and someone who, with his aerial abilities, can complement Brody Mihocek and Darcy Cameron and our other tall forwards.”

Technically this is the second time Kreuger has been traded. In 2018, Carlton had access to him as part of its draft concessions and traded him to the Cats.

Meanwhile, The Age is reporting that a deal involving Fremantle young gun Adam Cerra joining Carlton could be reached by as early as Wednesday, but is dependent on the Cats and Dockers agreeing to a deal for young Geelong speedster Jordan Clark.

Elsewhere, West Coast has reportedly offered Carlton pick 52 for small defender Sam Petrevski-Seton, while Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury put to bed the curious recent speculation surrounding his future by signing a new two-year deal with the Magpies.

The contract could see the club’s all-time games record holder, who turns 34 in January, play through to his 18th season. He needs just another 16 games to become the first player in Collingwood history to crack the magical 350 milestone.

There are still plenty of other players expected to switch clubs over the next week during the trade/free agency period, with North Melbourne veteran Robbie Tarrant set to join Richmond while the likes of Jon Ceglar, Jarrod Brander, Callum Coleman-Jones, Patrick Lipinski, Luke Dunstan, Darcy Macpherson and Darcy Fort are expected to find new homes as well.

COMPLETED DEALS
1. Jake Kelly (Adelaide) joined Essendon as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide received pick 42 (AFL) as compensation.
2. Mabior Chol (Richmond) joined Gold Coast as an unrestricted free agent. Richmond received pick 38 (AFL) as compensation.
3. George Hewett (Sydney) joined Carlton as a restricted free agent. Sydney received pick 39 (AFL) as compensation.
4. Collingwood traded a future second-round pick, a future third-round pick and a future fourth-round pick to Gold Coast in exchange for picks 22, 46, 58, 79 and a future fourth-round pick.
5. Geelong traded Nathan Kreuger and pick 55 to Collingwood in exchange for pick 41.