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In one of the busiest trade weeks in recent memory (factoring in the GWS ‘mini draft’), many clubs and players have benefitted greatly from their respective moves. Here are the winners and losers from trade week.
Even the unexpected deals will undoubtedly prove fruitful for the clubs involved, and the long expected trades have come through benefitting all parties.
Every club bar Carlton took part in the annual meat market, with only a few unable to complete a deal but, as is usually the case, some clubs have done better than others.
The high profile trade of the round, Mitch Clark to Melbourne, is an example of a club doing well, while another fails tragically.
Melbourne have pulled of the trade coup of the year, obtaining a hard edged, versatile tall on a four year contract- that kind of deal doesn’t appear every day.
Ultimately the Demons benefitted from the stand still which occurred between the Dockers and Lions, which is proof that there is such a thing as too much haggling.
Melbourne now have a back-up to Jamar in the ruck as well as the power forward they’ve been craving since the departure of David Neitz.
From a marketing and publicity point of view, the big haired, tattoo sporting giant may also go a long way towards being a marketing dream, helping with moving on from the loss of Tom Scully.
Fremantle, on the other hand clearly paid the price for complacency.
As has been revealed so often over the course of the last two years, players are now more savvy as to what they are worth than ever, and will choose security, opportunity and the promise of a good life after football over personal club loyalty.
So to release a press release hinting at Clarke’s desire to come to the club at all costs when a suitable deal had still not been finalised has left the Dockers with egg on their face, and smacks of arrogance.
Even if Fremantle had all but secured his signature, they should of kept their powder dry and their public persona set to firmly on ‘quietly optimistic’.
Melbourne isn’t the only club to benefit by securing a ruckman.
Port Adelaide’s much understated deal with ex-Hawk Brent Renouf has shored up the Powers ruck stocks for the next few seasons while providing badly needed support and guidance for young Matthew Lobbe.
Richmond, in one of the more expected deals of the week, also sured up their big man department with the underated and much maligned ex-Crow Ivan Maric.
Meanwhile Adelaide, normally quiet players in trade week, have picked up untrade Essendon big man Josh Jenkins.
The new kids on the block, however, have clearly won the title of biggest and best player.
It takes serious intestinal fortitude to attempt what the Giants attempted in getting, then trading, then trading back Jaeger O’Meara, the ‘next Judd’ as he’s been described, in a five-way deal from hell.
Although it didn’t work, the deal was a gutsy attempt to impose themselves on the AFL drafting world- summed up beautifully by JackBoards’ article ‘Sheedy building a giant monster out west.’
However five first round-draft picks to go with their current picks, as well as two priority picks, Luke Power, Chad Cornes and Dean Brogan is good value in any language.
The Giants have masterfully set themselves up for a premiership off the back of their first experience in the AFL Business, and all that remains to be seen is just how long it will take for the ultimate prize to be revealed.
So I hereby crown the GWS Giants this year’s trade week best and fairest. Fair play and good health to the junior Giants!
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