Tuesday deadline on Judd
Digby Beacham | October 6, 2007 | The West Australian/Age
WEST COAST has until Tuesday to send premiership captain Chris Judd to Carlton on the terms demanded by the Blues or face the prospect of getting nothing in return for the departing 2004 Brownlow medallist.
Judd and his management are believed to be desperate for the Eagles and Carlton to strike a suitable trade within 36 hours of the trade period starting on Monday morning.
The 24-year-old is eager to avoid a drawn-out saga.
Judd's manager Paul Connors has an excellent record of getting departing players to their requested club and is monitoring negotiations. It is believed he will strongly advise West Coast not to delay any dealings that would jeopardise Judd going to Carlton.
West Coast has demanded adequate compensation for losing Judd and emphasised that it wants the Blues' prized No. 1 and No. 3 picks at next month's national draft.
But the Eagles are not in a position to stand firm and face the prospect of losing the league's premier midfielder for nothing in the pre-season draft.
The Blues have sufficient room in the salary cap to accommodate Judd on a seven-figure salary a season for two years.
Such a price tag would rule out any hope of Richmond jumping in front of Carlton and acquiring him with its first selection in the pre-season draft.
Carlton has pick No. 2 in that draft, but would prefer to provide Judd with a five-year, $6 million deal, allowing it suitable flexibility in the salary cap for future drafts and player retentions.
It was thought initially that Carlton would be willing to provide selections three and 20, along with strapping young key forward Josh Kennedy, taken at No. 4 in the 2005 national draft.
That since has been whittled down to three and Kennedy, who has played 22 games in two seasons with the Blues after being recruited from East Fremantle. That appears the most likely finish at the trade table.
Carlton football operations manager Steven Icke and Eagles recruiting manager Trevor Woodhouse had talks about Judd during the week. Woodhouse and his brother, football operations manager Steve, will represent the Eagles in trade dealings on Monday.
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