Salary issues may force Cats to trade table

GEELONG coach Mark Thompson says salary cap issues may force his club to the trade table in next month's player exchange period.

Thompson suggested announcements on the playing future of 31-year-old captain Tom Harley and 32-year-old defender Darren Milburn would dictate whether the Cats persevered with its premiership line-up or made a subtle evolution through younger players and draft picks.

"What I'm looking forward to is getting into the draft this year, and we've got some salary cap problems, so we might have to trade," Thompson said after his team's premiership triumph.

"I'm looking forward to getting the best group of kids we possibly can, and training them up, and putting pressure on guys, and having the best football club in Australia."

Geelong claimed its second flag in three years with its 12-point win against St Kilda on Saturday afternoon, however Thompson said the journey was far from over.

"We probably felt it was only fair that we won another one," he said. "I suppose there was a lot of everyone expecting us [to win], saying if we won one out of three then it's probably not good enough. I've been quoted as saying that too.

"But that's not to say that we can't win it again next year, and that we won't be trying to win it again next year and our run is over – it's clearly not.

"We've got Josh Hunt (who missed the year with a knee reconstruction) and (Mathew) Stokes and Tomahawk (Tom Hawkins) is young and (Joel) Selwood's young.

"The real challenge is to keep this team alive for a long time."

He acknowledged that Harley and Milburn might not be part of that side, but said Harley's decision to play on was entirely his.

"The players will have six or seven weeks off, then we'll challenge them again to get back up exactly where we are on this day," Thompson said.

"Some people fall off and retire because of age, and we'll have a couple of them, maybe, and we'll get some new blood in like Ryan Gamble, or Shane Mumford comes up and plays in their first grand final day.

"It just evolves, and just continues year after year.