I find this situation extremely strange. Second year player that's had a taste of senior footy wanting out. He's naturally linked to the Blues given the Tigers are after Yarran. That trade seems to easy, I doubt it occurs. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if we are sniffing around.
Or since it's so easy it doesn't get done until the last 5 mins when the clubs shake hands and go "might as well do this one now" then rush the paper work as they've always done, being obvious or rather likely doesn't always mean it's a red herring.
Also, on last couple pages, common knowledge in the AFL is that the Pies are a club you want to deal with in trading, because they will engage in discussions and will pay if the discussions are deemed to be fruitful to them, talk that they don't or they're somehow shafting everyone is rubbish, bit of revisionism going on since Buckley's history is one of immediately refusing to go Brisbane, telling Brisbane he'll play his contract but that he's out, and then leaving Brisbane at the end of his contract, this is Buckley, not the Pies being consistent, and actual free trade with players since Brissie couldn't sell it to him to make him stay. Sure they may have then shifted with the Ball situation, but these are outliers, Collingwood is still a club you want to trade with if there is a trade to be done.
Widely known that you don't want to do this with Essendon though, because they will delay and string you out, then attempt to rush and lowball at the end which clubs hate, and like Carlton, overrate their list a bit, unlike Carlton though, this then translates into Essendon having to win the trade outright for them to entertain it in the early going.
All the posturing aside, there'll be fair comp for Freeman in the end.