With the AFL’s 2014 Trade and Free Agency period done and dusted, I’ve put together my report cards for each of the eighteen clubs.

There were some big winners, and a few slow students.

Adelaide
Traded picks 31, 50 and 68 to Hawthorn for Luke Lowden, Kyle Cheney and picks 43, 47 and 59.
Traded picks 10 and 47 to Geelong for picks 14 and 35.
IN: Luke Lowden, Kyle Cheney, picks 14, 35, 43, 59.
OUT: Picks 10, 31, 50, 68.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 14, 35, 43.

The Crows waited more than two weeks before they finally made their move, and their move was to downgrade their first two picks at the draft and grab Luke Lowden and Kyle Cheney. Very underwhelming.

I’m surprised they didn’t put in a bid for Daniel Gorringe. They’re badly in need of a ruck depth and had the perfect chance to swoop when the Power couldn’t come up with a deal, but they didn’t even make an enquiry.

Overall, I’m unimpressed.

GRADE: F

Brisbane
Traded Joel Patfull to Greater Western Sydney for pick 21.
Traded pick 21 to Geelong for Allen Christensen.
Traded Jack Crisp and picks 5 and 25 to Collingwood for Dayne Beams and pick 67.
IN: Allen Christensen, Dayne Beams, pick 67.
OUT: Joel Patfull, Jack Crisp, picks 5 and 25.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 44 (Liam Dawson), 63 (Harris Andrews), 67.

They had to virtually take themselves out of the draft to do it, but Brisbane did as they had promised and landed some A-grade talent acquiring Dayne Beams and Allen Christensen. Between them they bring premiership experience and a huge increase in midfield depth.

The Lions still lack a genuine key forward but now have one of the better midfields going around, and it is quite a young midfield too. It’s hard to fault them here, a great performance.

GRADE: A

Carlton
Lost Jarrad Waite to North Melbourne through Free Agency. No compensation.
Traded Jeff Garlett and pick 83 to Melbourne for picks 61 and 79.
Traded pick 7 to Greater Western Sydney for Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley and pick 19.
Traded pick 46 to Western Bulldogs for Liam Jones.
IN: Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley, Liam Jones, picks 19, 61 and 79.
OUT: Jarrad Waite, Jeff Garlett, picks 7, 46 and 83.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 19, 28, 61.

The Blues were active in the trade period which is usually a good sign but their decisions were often confusing. They traded away a top 10 pick to secure two unproven players in Kristian Jaksch and Mark Whiley, they accepted peanuts for Jeff Garlett – and the less said about Liam Jones the better.

Jaksch offers a lot of promise and how this trade period is seen for the Blues will balance on whether or not he can live up to the high price the Blues have paid. They will want to make pick 19 count.

GRADE: C

Collingwood
Traded Heriter Lumumba to Melbourne, received Travis Varcoe from Geelong via three-team deal.
Traded Dayne Beams and pick 67 to Brisbane for Jack Crisp and picks 5 and 25.
Traded pick 25 to North Melbourne for Levi Greenwood.
IN: Travis Varcoe, Levi Greenwood, Jack Crisp, pick 5.
OUT: Dayne Beams, Heritier Lumumba, pick 67.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 5, 9 (Darcy Moore), 30.

It was never going to be an easy trade period for the Magpies once Dayne Beams requested a trade. They were bound to lose one of their best players right from the start. However, they made the most of it, securing a top five pick and picking up a few players from other clubs.

That said their recruiting choices are a little odd. Jack Crisp and Levi Greenwood both fit the big-bodied midfielder profile but neither is a great kick.

Travis Varcoe seems to be a like for like replacement for Lumumba, which is not necessarily a compliment.

A lot rests on whether or not the Pies can make pick five pay off. But they get a positive grade for making the best they could of the hand they were dealt.

GRADE: C+

Essendon
Signed James Gwilt from St Kilda through Free Agency.
Traded pick 53 to Greater Western Sydney for Jonathan Giles and pick 62.
Traded Paddy Ryder to Port Adelaide for picks 17 and 37.
Traded pick 37 to Western Bulldogs for Adam Cooney.
IN: Adam Cooney, Jonathan Giles, James Gwilt, picks 17 and 62.
OUT: Paddy Ryder, pick 53.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 17, 20, 71.

The Dons had an odd trade period, making all their deals in the last two hours. After intense negotiations they finally secured pick 17 and Adam Cooney for Paddy Ryder, which is by no means a bad return.

They found an able replacement for Ryder in Jon Giles for a cheap price, and may get some value out of James Gwilt.

Perhaps most importantly they have two picks inside the top 20 which is a win for a club that has been hit by draft sanctions. They weren’t exactly sociable but they got a good return for their efforts.

GRADE: B

Fremantle
No movements made.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 13, 34, 54.

Very lucky to avoid a fail grade, the Dockers recruiting team might as well have taken a holiday.

Given they have a number of noticeable gaps on their list and are in their premiership window, one would think they would be active traders – apparently not.

It doesn’t fill me with much hope that they’ll do any better in 2015 than they did this year.

GRADE: D-

Geelong
Traded Allen Christensen to Brisbane for pick 21.
Traded Travis Varcoe to Collingwood, received Mitch Clark from Melbourne via three-team deal.
Traded pick 21 to St Kilda for Rhys Stanley and pick 60.
Traded picks 14 and 35 to Adelaide for picks 10 and 47.
IN: Mitch Clark, Rhys Stanley, picks 10, 47 and 60.
OUT: Allen Christensen, Travis Varcoe, picks 14 and 35.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 10, 47, 55.

The Cats looked like having a relatively quiet trade period but in the end it was a fairly active one. There were some wins and losses.

They lost the race for James Frawley to Hawthorn, and they lost Allen Christensen to Brisbane. However, they nabbed some much needed support for Tom Hawkins, in the form of Mitch Clark and Rhys Stanley.

Their nifty little last-minute trade to grab a top 10 pick surprised many. Surely they must have a particular player in mind there. Geelong’s drafting expertise is well known, so I’m excited to see who it might be.

GRADE: B

Gold Coast
Signed Nick Malceski from Sydney through Free Agency.
Traded picks 47 and 49 for Mitch Hallahan.
IN: Nick Malceski, Mitch Hallahan.
OUT: Picks 47 and 49.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 8, 15, 29.

Hard to argue with an impressive trade period for the Suns. They didn’t dominate proceedings but what they did do was class. Malceski adds some quality, experience and leadership to their backline, at no cost, and Hallahan is a great get for two low picks.

The only thing that keeps them from getting an A in my eye is that they didn’t seem to put much time into Dayne Beams or Allen Christensen. Both players nominated Brisbane as their preferred destinations but with some high picks to trade as currency, I reckon the Suns should’ve had a crack all the same.

GRADE: B+

Greater Western Sydney
Traded Jonathan O’Rourke and pick 43 to Hawthorn for picks 19 and 40.
Traded pick 21 to Brisbane for Joel Patfull.
Traded Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley and pick 19 to Carlton for pick 7.
Traded Tom Boyd to Western Bulldogs for Ryan Griffen and pick 6.
Traded Jonathan Giles and pick 62 to Essendon for pick 53.
Traded Sam Frost and picks 40 and 53 to Melbourne for pick 23.
IN: Ryan Griffen, Joel Patfull, picks 6, 7 and 23.
OUT: Tom Boyd, Jonathan O’Rourke, Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley, Jonathan Giles, Sam Frost, picks 21, 43 and 62.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 4, 6, 7.

A really impressive trade period by the Giants I thought, the only black mark being the dramatic loss of Tom Boyd after just one year at the club.

Essentially the Giants sold off a number of players who were on the fringe of their best 22 and in doing so managed to net three of the top seven picks, plus pick up some experienced and talented leadership in form of Griffen and Patfull. Not bad!

The Boyd situation I thought was poorly handled but they made the best of it in the end. They only narrowly miss out on an A.

I think they’re the canniest traders in the league.

GRADE: B+

Hawthorn
Signed James Frawley from Melbourne through Free Agency.
Traded picks 19 and 40 to Greater Western Sydney for Jonathan O’Rourke and pick 43.
Traded Mitch Hallahan to Gold Coast for picks 47 and 49.
Traded Luke Lowden, Kyle Cheney and picks 43, 47 and 59 to Adelaide for picks 31, 50 and 68.
IN: James Frawley, Jonathan O’Rourke, picks 31, 49, 50 and 68.
OUT: Mitch Hallahan, Luke Lowden, Kyle Cheney, picks 19, 40, 59.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 31, 49, 50.

It was another successful trade period for the reigning premiers, who are arguably the most successful trades of the last decade.

They landed one of the big Free Agents in Frawley and also topped up their stocks of talented youth by getting former no. 2 draft pick O’Rourke for a bargain price.

The only negative on their performance is the loss of Mitch Hallahan to the Gold Coast.

Hallahan, despite having played only a handful of senior games, looked like a fixture in Hawthorn’s future midfield, and Hawks fans may have another Josh P Kennedy situation on their hands here.

The Hawks managed to parlay the picks they received from Hallahan into netting pick 31 however, which is handy given they had traded away their first two selections.

GRADE: B

Melbourne
Lost James Frawley to Hawthorn through Free Agency. Gained pick 3 as compensation.
Traded picks 61 and 79 to Carlton for Jeff Garlett and pick 83.
Traded Mitch Clark to Geelong, received Heritier Lumumba from Collingwood via three-team deal.
Traded pick 23 to Greater Western Sydney for Sam Frost, picks 40 and 53.
IN: Heritier Lumumba, Sam Frost, Jeff Garlett, picks 3, 40, 53 and 80.
OUT: James Frawley, Mitch Clark, picks 23, 61 and 79.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 2, 3, 40.

The Dees had a quietly successful trade period. They were bound to lose Frawley and Clark from the start and got a good return for both. Pick three was a massive win as compensation for Frawley, and Lumumba potentially bringing some good experience into the predominantly young side.

In addition to holding two top three picks at the coming draft, the Demons also managed to pick up a promising young key defender, and a talented small forward, both at a pretty decent price.

They didn’t set the world on fire but they will be happy with what they did.

GRADE: B

North Melbourne
Signed Jarrad Waite from Carlton through Free Agency.
Signed Shaun Higgins from Western Bulldogs through Free Agency.
Traded Levi Greenwood to Collingwood for pick 25.
IN: Jarrad Waite, Shaun Higgins, pick 25.
OUT: Levi Greenwood.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 16, 25, 36.

An odd trade period for the Kangaroos, who added some experience in the form of Waite and Higgins but lost Greenwood to the Magpies for a second round pick.

Exactly what North Melbourne can get out of their free agents is not clear, and how this trade period is viewed will rest quite a bit on Waite and Higgins’ shoulders.

However, the decision to knockback Collingwood’s original offer of pick 30 for Greenwood and hold out for a better pick, 25, is good business. It gets them a plus in my book.

GRADE: C+

Port Adelaide
Traded picks 17 and 37 to Essendon for Paddy Ryder.
IN: Paddy Ryder.
OUT: Picks 17, 37.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 57, 75, 93.

You’ve got to feel a little for the Power, who spent the whole two weeks locked in a room with Adrian Dodoro, constantly rejecting his demands to secure young guns Chad Wingard, Ollie Wines and Hamish Hartlett.

Eventually they got their man in Paddy Ryder, and didn’t have to give up a player to do it, though they have essentially taken themselves out of the draft to do it, and they missed out on nabbing Daniel Gorringe from the Gold Coast.

Ryder could well be the missing link between Port and a premiership and if that proves to be the case this’ll be looked on as an excellent move. However, I’m taking points off for not having a single draft pick in the top 50.

GRADE: B-

Richmond
No movements made.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 12, 33, 52.

The Tigers biggest move of the trade period was to re-sign Jake Batchelor. In my view their list has a ways to go before being in serious contention and they should be actively targeting outside talent, so I’m not impressed.

They did have a go at Jack Trengove so that would give them a few points, but when that fell through they didn’t have a Plan B.

GRADE: F

St Kilda
Lost James Gwilt to Essendon through Free Agency. No compensation.
Traded Rhys Stanley and pick 60 to Geelong for pick 21.
IN: Pick 21.
OUT: Rhys Stanley, James Gwilt, pick 60.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 1, 21, 22.

It was a relatively quiet trade period for the Saints, but that’s to be expected as they focus on developing their young talent base. They stated a desire to trade in another pick inside the top 25 this year and they did so, gaining pick 21 from Geelong for Rhys Stanley in a deal most pundits would say very much benefitted the Saints.

With the Giants holding picks 4, 6 and 7 by the final day there were a lot of rumours tossed about as to just what might happen with the Saints and pick 1, but nothing came of it. Without knowing what may or may not have been offered for pick 1, it’s hard to judge whether or not the Saints were right to keep it.

Over all, a quiet but impressive performance.

GRADE: B

Sydney
Lost Nick Malceski to Gold Coast through Free Agency. Gained pick 39 as compensation.
Traded pick 39 and Shane Biggs to the Western Bulldogs for pick 37.
IN: Pick 37.
OUT: Nick Malceski, Shane Biggs.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 18 (Isaac Heeney), 37, 38 (Jack Hiscox).

A quiet trade period from the Swans – which is what you’d expected when the AFL bans you under the table from trading. Pretty dodgy if you ask me, so unlike the other clubs who went quiet, I’ll give them a decent mark.

GRADE: C

West Coast
No movements made.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 11, 32, 51.

I don’t rate West Coast as harshly for keeping quiet as I do the Dockers or the Tigers, because although they finished the lower of the three teams this year, I think their list is pretty well balanced and they don’t have any glaring needs.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt for them to have a go.

GRADE: D

Western Bulldogs
Lost Shaun Higgins to North Melbourne through Free Agency. Gained pick 27 as compensation.
Traded Ryan Griffen and pick 6 to Greater Western Sydney for Tom Boyd.
Traded Adam Cooney to Essendon for pick 37.
Traded pick 37 to Sydney for Shane Biggs and pick 39.
Traded Liam Jones to Carlton for pick 46.
IN: Tom Boyd, Shane Biggs, picks 27, 39 and 46.
OUT: Shaun Higgins, Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney, Liam Jones, pick 6.
FIRST 3 PICKS: 26, 27, 39.

Far and away the surprise packet of the trade period. The Dogs lost three of their most experienced players, including their captain, in Griffen, Cooney and Higgins. They sacked their coach and traded away their first round pick. But you know what?

They got Tom Boyd. Top marks.

GRADE: A