WESTERN Bulldog Jarrad Grant was close to joining the Brisbane Lions during the AFL Trade Period, Lions list manager Rob Kerr has hinted.
After disclosing the unsuccessful chase for Saint David Armitage on Wednesday, Kerr has told the Lions website that Grant was another the club considered snaring.
Kerr said the Lions were trying to build competition among rival clubs hoping to secure 20-year-old defender Sam Docherty, who wanted to return to Victoria.
"The Bulldogs had some interest [in Docherty] but they weren't prepared to use their second-round pick because they wanted to use that on Stewart Crameri," Kerr told lions.com.au.
"Carlton was sitting there saying, 'we'll give you a third-round pick' [for Docherty].
"We were able to generate a bit of competition because we did have interest in Jarrad Grant.
"We were prepared to do a trade with the Bulldogs on that and both clubs weren't far away on agreeing on what a reasonable trade would be on that front … it would've been a player for a player swap and maybe a little bit of window dressing on the back."
Docherty was ultimately traded to the Blues for a second-round pick (No.33) and Grant recently signed a new two-year deal with the Dogs.
"That (the Bulldogs' offer) sharpened up Carlton's offer," Kerr said.
"[Carlton's offer was] still not to the level we would've ultimately liked but it helped us to some degree."
Kerr added North Melbourne had enquired about Docherty, but interest waned once the Roos were close to signing Nick Dal Santo.
Meanwhile, Kerr has heralded the acquisition of former Geelong ruckman Trent West, saying he will be vital to new coach Justin Leppitsch's game-plan.
The Lions traded pick 41, which was acquired as part of the Billy Longer trade with St Kilda, to secure the 26-year-old who played 54 matches with the Cats.
"Justin's game-plan includes two ruckman so it was pretty critical that we bring someone in and there was the opportunity for Trent," Kerr said.
"Clearly we needed a ruckman given Billy Longer was leaving the club. And Trent was probably playing his best footy when he was playing that second ruck role.
"Brisbane was going to give him more of an opportunity to play senior football regularly."
The Lions tried to convince Longer to stay in Brisbane after Hawthorn traded with St Kilda for Ben McEvoy but were unsuccessful.
"After the McEvoy trade Billy had to reconsider his position," Kerr said.
"Justin, myself and Peter Schwab met with Billy and his manager and a number of players got in touch with Billy.
"I think the reality is he'd probably made up his mind.
"Even though he'd thought things through again, emotionally he'd committed to going back to Melbourne and when St Kilda came and offered him a home that was meeting his needs he was happy to go along with that."
