What is the number 1 pick worth?

It’s the trade season and the GWS GIANTS hold one of the trump cards – the number 1 draft pick.

18-year-old power forward Tom Boyd, who plays for the Eastern Ranges’ TAC Cup side, is almost certain to be the number 1 pick. But with Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton, the GIANTS aren’t really in the market for another key forward.

Rumours, theories and strategies abound during trade period, so we asked AFL NSW/ACT General Manager and two-time Geelong Cats Premiership captain Tom Harley his thoughts on who would be the best pick-up for the GIANTS.

“Nat Fyfe,” was Harley’s quick response.

“12 months ago I would have said Joel Selwood,” he said. “But Selwood is now 25 whilst Fyfe is 22.

“Fyfe is the next ‘complete package’ of the ilk of Selwood and Pendlebury.

“He can play anywhere, oozes leadership and his potential, whilst already being elite, is unlimited.

“In a funny sort of way, in my eyes, he is more valuable than the number 1 pick given that there would be no speculation regarding what Fyfe would deliver.”

Fremantle young gun Nathan Fyfe emerged as one of the best midfielders in the competition in the 2013 season.

Pick number 20 in the 2009 draft; the contested ball marvel hit elite status this year. His contested marking was back to its best and he was a nightmare match-up for the opposition.

He would be an outstanding pick up for the GWS GIANTS and while there’s no way Fremantle would want to lose him, could they resist the temptation to shore up their forward line for the next 10 years as they contemplate a future without captain Matthew Pavlich?

Harley also named a West Coast excitement machine and the 2013 NAB Rising Star winner as great pick-ups for the western Sydney club.

“Honourable mentions to Nic Naitanui and Jaeger O’Meara,” Harley said.

AFL NSW/ACT Deputy General Manager and former Sydney Swans captain Craig Bolton had the same idea.

“Jaeger is absolutely going to dominate the competition in a few years,” Bolton said. “He or Nic Nat would be amazing pick ups for the GIANTS.

“But with the recruitment of Shane Mumford and the incredible depth of talent the GIANTS already have in the midfield, what they really need is another key defender to help Phil Davis out, and probably a running half back.

“I’d be offering up the number 1 pick to Collingwood for Heath Shaw and Ben Reid.”

27-year-old Shaw may be on his way to the GIANTS already, after well-publicised behavioural problems, with the GIANTS seeing the 173-game veteran as a future leader of the club.

But the addition of a 24-year-old key defender in Ben Reid may be enough to prise the number 1 pick from the GIANTS.

Taken with the number 8 pick in the 2006 draft, Reid began his career as a defender but can play at both ends of the ground. He has played 95 games for the Magpies and was named in the 2011 All-Australian team as a key defender.

Collingwood are also in the market for another key forward to join Travis Cloke. While rumoured to be looking at Sydney’s Jesse White, Tom Boyd is a player they could build a side around for the next decade.

So now Tom and Craig have given you their thoughts, tell us who you think would be worth giving up the number 1 pick for – Tell us on twitter or let us know via our facebook page!