King signs at GC = Bruce stays ?

[ace]

No-one in the media is talking about Bruce.
But without picks from Steven and Bruce deals, Brad Hill from Freo, Zak Jones from Sydney and Dan Butler from Richmond, may not get done.
The media think St Kilda will have to accept whatever they can get from the Mongrels providing Sydney will accept it for Zak Jones.
Three way deal - Zak Jones to St Kilda, Bruce to the Mongrels and pick from Mongrels to Sydney .
We then hope that pick 10 and our future second and Blake Acres can prize Brad Hill free of Freo.

Whatever we get from Geelong threatens to be poor as they are only paying us for one year of Steven before he would be a free agent.
Geelong has picks 14, 17, 24, 36, and 37 but they don't want to even pay 37 for Steven.
They have given their 2020 3rd round to West Coast.
If they won't give us pick 37 they won't give us their 2020 2nd round leaving their valueless 4th round likely to be around pick 70.
Of course they may receive another pick via a trade of their own.
Maybe a deal with Richmond, Butler to St Kilda, Steven to Geelong and Geelong swaps picks with Richmond.
We do have our 2020 4th rounder and that of Port Adelaide but would Geelong take those and Steven for pick 37.

As for our 2019 and 2020 drafts days I am reminded of Old Mother Hubbard
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the Cupboard,
To give the poor Dog a bone;
When she came there,
The Cupboard was bare,
And so the poor Dog had none.

[groupie1]

I still see a role for J Bruce. Ryder rucks, Marshall roams, Bruce takes the 2nd forward, King takes the 1st, leaving the 3rd for Members. King is still young and will need that protection. So either Marshall or Ryder are permanently sitting in the forward line, or Members still has the 2nd defender.