Collingwood has been one of the most active clubs in the 2012 free agency/trade period, to the extent that football director Geoff Walsh suggested on Melbourne radio on Wednesday that the Magpies could be satisfied to step out of the market.
 
Having acquired Quinten Lynch as a free agent from West Coast and traded out Chris Dawes and Sharrod Wellingham for first round draft picks, the Magpies have simultaneously addressed the ruckman/forward role that was problematic this year and strengthened significantly its draft position.
 
At present, Collingwood national recruiting manager Derek Hine has five of the first 45 selections in next month’s national draft to work with, and three of the first 20.
 
"I think we're pretty much done and dusted," Walsh said.

"We'll be happy to go the draft with three selections in the top group.

"I think it's always good to try and position yourself well in the draft, particularly in the top 20 or 25 picks, and we haven't been able to do that for a while.

"We've traded our first pick a couple of times in recent years.??"

At the moment we have three picks in the top 20 so I'm sure Derek Hine will use those to great advantage, because Derek's history in the draft is second to none."
 
But with the free agency market open for another two days and a further nine days of the trade period to play out  the Magpies have not closed off the possibility of further activity.

The club’s interest in Hawthorn free agent Clinton Young remains and, as Hine says, any opportunity to improve Collingwood’s list will be entertained.

“We might not do anything more. We’re certainly happy to be taking five picks to the Gold Coast (scene of the National Draft). But if an opportunity arose that interested us we’d certainly explore it,” Hine said.

Dawes effectively departed the Westpac Centre on Tuesday night, when Collingwood agreed to trade the 24 year-old forward for picks 20 and 45, with pick 58 also going to the Demons.
 
Walsh said the Pies were pleased with the deal.

"You never sign off on a deal unless you're happy, so we're happy and I'm sure Chris is as well and Melbourne I'm sure are, so I think everyone has become a winner out of the deal and let's hope that time sustains that belief," he said.

Meanwhile, Dawes won't asked to play the dual ruck/forward role he struggled with at Collingwood this season when he lines up in the red and blue next year.

Melbourne list manager Tim Harrington said Dawes would provide strong support for the Demons' smaller forwards and combine with the athleticism of 200cm former Brisbane Lion Mitch Clark.

"It was no secret we really needed to provide more of a physical presence in our forward half, so Chris does that for us," Harrington said.

"What [the Pies] identified for Chris is something we're not actually asking from him.

"We think we've got that relief ruck/forward covered in Mitch Clark, so Chris just plays as the traditional bullocking, strong competing aerialist in our forward half."

Walsh admitted Dawes was better suited to playing as a power forward without having to balance the work of a ruckman.

"He battled pretty well to his credit in that role, but we just felt we needed someone who could play the ruck role a little bit more naturally," Walsh said.

"Once we made that call, I think Chris himself made the call that, maybe that marginalises my position and lessens my opportunities."

??Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.