CARLTON has confirmed it has offered Fremantle selection No. 24 in the NAB AFL Draft in exchange for emerging ruckman Robert Warnock.

The out-of-contract Warnock, who has been targeted by several Victorian-based clubs including Carlton, Melbourne and Richmond, publicly stated last month that he wants to return home and named the Blues as his preferred destination.

Carlton's general manager of football operations Steven Icke told the AFL BigPond Network that the club had already made a pitch for Warnock.

"We've identified that we've got a priority to get a ruckman," Icke said.

"Robbie Warnock a couple of weeks ago decided that he wanted to come back to Melbourne. Once we heard that he was keen to come back to Melbourne, we started putting some wheels in motion to see if he had any interest in coming to Carlton.

"So far we're in the mix. He's indicated that he would like to come to Carlton and now we've got to satisfy Fremantle in respect of a trade. We've been straight up front and we think pick 24 is reasonable."

Icke is now hopeful the deal can be struck soon after next week's official trade period gets underway.

"Hopefully now the process will be that we can get that trade done early enough, so that both clubs can then get on with it – if they want to get involved in others trades later in the week, well, then they can," he said.

"It would be good to know that when you leave the draft camp, because then you know that they've got pick 24 and they can look at a player that they might be able to facilitate with pick 24.

"That's why this week is a reasonably important week – in terms of getting an understanding of where the trade sits."

Icke, formerly in charge of Fremantle's player personnel and list management, said the Blues would keep an open mind in relation to the rest of the exchange period.

"We're pretty keen to keep as many picks as we can – we think it's a very good draft, but you can never say never," Icke said.

"Obviously things come up and all of a sudden some interest is sparked and then you've got to have a look to see if it's something that you want to get involved in. That's the priority for us at this point in time."

As for how he believes the rest of trade week will unfold, Icke believes it could be busy.

"I think clubs are now thinking that the next couple of years [in the draft] are going to become compromised in 2009 and 2010," he said.

"Clubs will either make changes to their lists now to take advantage of what we see as being a good draft or they will bolster their stocks by bringing players in from other clubs, who may not be getting the same opportunities that they can be afforded at their club.

"On that basis, I think there will be a fair degree of activity, but more player for player activity, rather than player for pick trades."