Let’s hope Port drop a bit and we do deal on 9 and 16 for example with a sweetener I mentioned above. It will be a compromised first round still.9 & 17 is about the best we could hope for I suspect.
It won't be 9 & 26.
I personally think 9 + 10 and they pay significant salary is the best outcome. I know we'll all be devo in Novermber not having either pick, but leaving room for Chad is significantly more valuable than a draftee is likely to be.
On Footy classified they talked about the deal Hawks are offering Battle as free agent - being something like $850k at 6 years. Seems crazy but that would likely trigger band 1 and pick 7 for Saints and push out two picks back. That is not taking into consideration some of the mid to late first round academy picks (so picks 15-18 will be pushed back a few spots). So you’re right in saying it seems that the two early picks seem more likely with something coming back our way and some salary being paid.
If they accepted 9 and 16/17 for eg. The end result could be more like 10 and 20/21.