Even though the AFL trade window ended a little more than a week ago, the largest and most interesting deal of the year might not have ended yet.

In the unlikely event that a massive trade involving Pick 1 and the initial rights to strong 185-cm Bendigo Pioneers prospect Harley Reid occurs, West Coast will most likely keep the football community waiting until November 20 to make the move official.

Despite getting multiple offers from competing teams during the most recent 10-day window, the Eagles still own the first overall pick. Hawthorn and North Melbourne have made those trade demands, and Melbourne had also been connected to a play for the coveted selection.

Over the following month, draft choices are still subject to change. Clubs may trade picks in real time on draft night, but the formal trading window will end on Friday, November 10.

The Eagles have received two more bids for their first pick, from North Melbourne and Melbourne, respectively, as revealed by AFL Media on Wednesday.

In exchange for the Eagles’ Picks 1 and 23, the Kangaroos offered West Coast their Pick 2 and two of their later first-round selections (they currently own Picks 15, 17, and 18).

The Demons, who traded up in the order during this month’s AFL exchange period, also offered the Eagles their two first-round selections (Picks 6 and 11), as well as Pick 42 and their future first-rounder in exchange for Pick 1.

As it stands, those trade talks haven’t developed significantly. But the sense among draft sources spoken to by foxfooty.com.au on Thursday is that the Kangaroos and Demons’ most recent offers are getting closer to the mark – and more reflective of what a possible deal would look like.

The reality is for the Eagles – who’ve always been open to both keeping and dealing Pick 1 – there’s nothing to gain by trading their top selection now, even if they like the proposed deal and believe it’s fair. Ultimately, why lodge the paperwork now when you can wait until draft night and potentially get a better offer from a rival club prepared to give more than what they would in late October?

The Eagles will reportedly not entertain a deal with North Melbourne unless it involves Picks 2 and 3. As pointed out by the Herald Sun’s Jay Clark on Wednesday night, it’s rare for clubs to hold so many picks in the teens come draft night. Only once in the past 10 years has a club taken at least three players with selections between Picks 11 and 20 — and that was in 2020 when the Giants drafted Tanner Bruhn (Pick 12), Conor Stone (Pick 15) and Ryan Angwin (Pick 18).

But from a Kangaroos perspective, giving up their two top selections for Pick 1 would be a significant gamble, for this year’s top six open draft players – Reid, Colby McKercher, Zane Duursma, Daniel Curtin, Nick Watson and Ryley Sanders – are considered a class above the rest. Plus moving from Picks 2 and 3 to Picks 1 and 15 – the latter would likely be closer to Pick 20 after academy and father-son bids – would be bold, even though Reid is widely rated as this

The fact North Melbourne this week, though, was prepared to up its initial offer to West Coast – which was, before the Zac Fisher, Dylan Stephens and Suns selection swap trades, Picks 15, 18, 21 and a future end-of-first-round selection for Pick 1 – suggests the Kangaroos remain keen.

And it’s highly unlikely it’ll be the Roos’ final offer.

The Roos are keen on using Picks 15, 17 and 18 to get higher up the order. So one option for them could be to package up some of those late first-rounders and make a play for Geelong’s Pick 8, which is on the table for the right price – although sources believe it’s a high price. Would Picks 3, 8 and a future first for Picks 1 and 23 back from West Coast be overs from a Roos perspective? Probably.

That deal, of course, would hinge on the Cats being willing to part with Pick 8 – and whether they’d be prepared to move from Pick 8 to two late first-rounders in this year’s draft remains doubtful. Adelaide, which holds Picks 10, 14 and 20 and might only use two selections in this year’s draft, would probably be more appealing to deal with.

There’s a sense among rival teams the Demons – unless they get mightily creative – might’ve played their best trade hand already.

The Dees were prepared to offer West Coast their two early first-round picks in this year’s draft, as well as their future first – and that hasn’t moved the Eagles significantly yet. They also hold future second-round (tied to Sydney) and future third-round (tied to the Western Bulldogs) picks, but if they’re going to part with their future first, they have to hold those second and third-rounders.

And if you’re West Coast, you’re clearly taking the Kangaroos’ future first over Melbourne’s – for that could give the Eagles two top-10 picks in next year’s draft, should both they and the Roos finish in the bottom-half of the ladder next season.

The other trump card the Eagles have is Pick 23 – the selection North Melbourne tried to secure as part of its recent Pick 1 offer, but one West Coast will place a high value on.

That pick is the opening selection of this year’s second round, which is the first pick of the second night of the draft. It means the club holding that pick will, over a 24-hour period, receive ample juicy offers, for rivals will be keen to get ahead in the draft so they can have first rights to a draft prospect they’re keen on.

As it stands, clubs at the top of the order are preparing for two scenarios in late November: One where the Eagles have Pick 1 and one where the Kangaroos hold Pick 1. In both cases, Reid is taken at Pick 1, for West Coast will back in its system and development to retain the Tongala star.

Duursma would then likely head to North with one of those two top-three picks – if he doesn’t, he won’t get past Hawthorn – with the Roos to take either McKercher or Curtin with the other selection.

If Curtin isn’t taken by the Roos, clubs can envisage a scenario where he slides several few spots, considering the Hawks, Bulldogs, Demons and Giants are all unlikely to target a key defender with their first picks. Small forward Watson has been linked to the Hawks and Bulldogs, while the Dogs and Dees have shown ample interest in Sanders. And if Sanders isn’t available for the Demons, they’re more likely to look at explosive forward Nate Caddy, or even top-10 bolters Caleb Windsor and James Leake — or trade their pick with West Coast for the latter’s future first, allowing the Eagles to select local WA product Curtin after all.