GOLD Coast coach Damien Hardwick has flown to Melbourne to meet with Sydney defender Nick Blakey on Thursday.

Blakey is in Melbourne as he considers his future and prepares to meet with rival clubs, and Hardwick has flown down from Queensland to meet with the Swans defender.

Up to five clubs have expressed some level of interest in Blakey: Geelong - which has been Blakey's preferred destination - St Kilda, Essendon, North Melbourne and Gold Coast.

AFL.com.au revealed on Tuesday that Blakey had not given up on a trade out of Sydney, with many expressing a keenness to get in front of the All-Australian backman as he weighs his call. 

He is expected to make a decision on where he wants to play in 2027 by the end of the week, with clubs having to move quick to assess their own interest levels, their trade capital to make a move possible and the complexities given the ongoing Victoria Police investigation. 

Blakey is expected to meet up to all five of the clubs over the next day or two as he settles on his plans with an eye out of Sydney. 

The Suns are assessing their interest in Blakey, who has been keen on Geelong as a first preference for his future but also very open in looking at Gold Coast.

He held interest in getting to the Suns last year during the trade period but it quickly moved on.

Gold Coast is set to hold pick No.7 if the club accepts the compensation pick for Ben King’s departure, with the club having until Friday to either match the deal or take the pick.

While Blakey has made clear his interest in the Cats, which was revealed by AFL.com.au in Grand Final week, Geelong’s board will make a decision on whether it pursues the game breaker. 

More to come