It was the most unpredictable, shocking and enthralling AFL trade period ever.
As is normal after the trade period, teams are now filled with optimism heading into the preseason. New players bring a sense of confidence with them, and all 18 clubs are bullish on their updated lists.
However, who can exit the trade period with their head held high, and who came out with their tail between their legs?
The winners
Fremantle
The Dockers plugged so many leaking holes in their line-up over the past fortnight.
Cameron McCarthy and Shane Kersten arrive, hoping to fix the Dockers’ constant goal kicking woes and to fill the void left by the retiring Matthew Pavlich and departing Chris Mayne.
After a year off, McCarthy remains a question mark, but a low-risk one. McCarthy flashed his athleticism as a key forward in 2015 with GWS, and will provide Fremantle with a goal kicking threat up front. He booted 35 goals two seasons ago and should feel more comfortable back home.
Similar to McCarthy, Kersten gives the Dockers an athletic forward option. Some poor form late in the year saw Kersten dropped three times after the bye and eventually missing the Cats’ finals campaign.
However, at a club that has few options up front, Kersten should see an increase in both opportunity and production.
Down back, former Bulldog Joel Hamling and the returning Michael Johnson – who was one of a number of Dockers hit by injuries in 2016 – give Fremantle two key pillars to build around defensively. While Brad Hill injects some much-needed speed into the Dockers’ midfield.
Additionally, Fremantle was able to maintain a strong draft profile, with three picks within the top-40, including pick seven.
St Kilda
The Saints went into the trade period with goals in mind and achieved them all.
Not only did St Kilda acquire the trio of Jack Steele, Koby Stevens and Nathan Brown, they did so while also improving their draft position in the future. The Saints managed to keep a pair of second-round picks in this year’s draft – 23 and 36 – and were able to gain Hawthorn’s 2017 first-rounder and the Bulldogs’ 2017 fourth-rounder.
St Kilda’s recruiting staff has a strong track record at the draft. Over recent years, they’ve selected the likes of Jade Gresham, Jack Billings, Maverick Weller and Blake Acres. With more trade ammunition in the future, expect more good decisions to come.
On the field though, St Kilda hopes for immediate contributions from their new triplet of players.
Steele didn’t get much of a chance to cement himself with the Giants, but the NSW/ACT Rams product will get more opportunities at the Saints. The hard-nut midfielder averaged 36 disposals in ten NEAFL games this year, while also proving he can hit the scoreboard with 15 goals.
Stevens is a ball magnet, who after dealing with injury this season, couldn’t retain his spot in the Western Bulldogs side that went on to win the premiership. In his 12 senior games in 2016, Stevens was solid, averaging 22 disposals and five tackles. He will provide some hardness at the coalface.
Nathan Brown brings a premiership pedigree to Seaford, who along with Jake Carlisle, will give the Saints’ defensive stocks a much-needed boost.
Future draft picks
Whose idea was it to introduce the ability for clubs to trade future draft picks? This individual needs a pay rise and an increased role at AFL house.
Of the 39 completed trades, 14 of them involved future draft picks. That’s 35.9 per cent of all deals, including crucial picks that helped get the Jaeger O’Meara and Brett Deledio trades done.
The ability to trade future picks was a long overdue rule brought in by the AFL for the 2015 trade period. It creates more excitement and gives clubs more assets to deal with.
The losers
Adelaide
The Crows began their trade period with so much promise after Bryce Gibbs requested a trade back to West Lakes. It seemed like a perfect fit, as Gibbs would add some much-needed class to a thin Adelaide midfield.
However, a player requesting a trade is one thing. The more important thing is a club getting the deal done.
The Crows failed to do this, and combined with the Jarryd Lyons departure, they leave the trade period empty handed.
Adelaide’s biggest downfall in 2016 was their lack of midfield depth. After their star Rory Sloane, the Crows experienced a significant drop-off in their next tier of midfielders. Going into 2017, there is no reason to believe things will be any different.
Adelaide list manager Justin Reid, along with other prominent figures within the Crows, was publicly upset the Blues didn’t trade Gibbs. The blame though, is on Adelaide and not Carlton.
Gibbs is under contract for another three years at the Blues and was their second-leading vote getter in this year’s Brownlow. There was no reason for the Blues to give him up for what they felt was a lowball offer from Adelaide. The onus in this situation is on the Crows, as they’re the ones who need to offer the Blues an adequate package.
Adelaide still projects as a finals side in 2017 – but one can only dream of their prospects if Gibbs was lining up in Don Pyke’s team. Maybe things will be different in 12 months and the Crows will learn from this year’s mistakes.
Collingwood’s defence
The mass exodus of Magpie defenders was quite surprising.
Brown, Jack Frost and Marley Williams all found new homes, while Alan Toovey retired. Additionally, Jonathon Marsh is unlikely to continue playing football at Collingwood next season due to personal reasons.
The Pies attempted to piece together a contingency plan, ending up with Lynden Dunn, in a move that seemed to be done out of necessity and not preference. Dunn failed to crack into Melbourne’s team in 2016, and entering his 30s, it’s unknown how much he can still produce at AFL level.
None of Collingwood’s other acquisitions – Mayne, Daniel Wells and Will Hoskin-Elliott – are defenders. This leaves the Magpies very thin in defence, which is a worry, considering how easily Nathan Buckley’s spatial defensive system was cracked by the opposition last season.
The Magpies are expecting to make the finals in 2017, but with a shaky defence, they’re already behind the eight ball.
One-club loyalty
While the idea of one-club players has been slowly fading in the AFL for years, the 2016 trade period only advanced its demise.
If you said before the trade period that Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis wouldn’t be donning brown and gold for the remainder of their careers, people would have called you mad. If you even suggested the Hawks would trade Mitchell and Lewis this year, you’d probably be referred to a psychologist. Yet that’s exactly what happened.
While the Mitchell and Lewis trades benefit all parties involved, it’s sad to see one of the AFL’s last remaining unique qualities be, for all intents and purposes, abolished.
Tricky
Guest
Bill, I am also a Pies man and admire your optimism but unfortunately your optimism relies on the planets aligning. No injuries, Keefe coming back from 2 years out like he hasn't missed a game and Scharenberg who hasn't played a game (seniors anyway), Elliot returning which is unlikely given his pars defect injury. Reid and Fasolo to have full seasons or near, the last time Reid did we won it If it isn't true that Buckley is recruiting just for the short term to save his bacon then it sure looks that way and Derek Hine doesn't have the final word on recruiting. Best place for us would be, with a bit of luck, 10-12th. I'll agree with you on Cloke though, like Dunn this year he'll be lining up with Footscray through the bulk of next year. I'm more than certain the dogs have him in mind as back up injury player.
Aransan
Guest
The world has moved on from power forwards being paid big money and presumably that is why Cloke was asked to slim down. The point is that Cloke is no longer on big money and can justify his contract on his new deal without taking extreme measures to change his game. I believe he will get plenty of games at the Bulldogs in 2017, he will take pressure off Boyd, Crameri and Stringer. Redpath will be virtually unavailable in 2017 and the Bulldogs were small in his absence -- the impressive form of Boyd in the finals was vital to the Dogs success. Cloke will make the Bulldogs less reliant on Boyd who will no doubt get greater attention in the future from opposing teams. For Cloke a change will be better than a holiday, especially coming from a culture that eats its own.
Bill
Guest
Sorry just to add to this Cloke who incidently was not forced out he tore up his contract and left he was a contracted player. .......Here is something many of you dont know 12 months ago Cloke and Jesse White were asked by the fitness and medical staff to slim down and alter their fitness regime to be able to become more mobile in this fast paced modern game. Jesse White slimmed down and changed his physic to become more mobile .Cloke stuck to his old regime of heavy weights hence why he has become slow....He can still do the ks but too slow to manouver Proof in the pudding was this year White was more agile playing forward and back and cloke's drop form dropped dramatically thats why he got dropped to the reserves.......He is lazy and thought he could bluff his way though the season. Now his contract for 1 year was approx 450 per year plus triggers so what so he opts for the easy but stupid way out.Decides to leave the club tear up his existing contract and go to the Bulldogs on half the money for 2 years stupid move. Bevo has a strong philosophy at the bulldogs if Cloke plays like he did at the pies he will be dropped straight away plus he will finfd it difficult fitting to team that has a forward structure consisting of Dixon, Boyd,Crameri,Stringer and when Redpath is fit he will find it even harder. So Cloke is a coward doesnt face his fears runs from them.....THERE IS NO USE PAYING A FORWARD 850K PER YEAR WHEN HE CANT KICK STRAIGHT....Clokes best years are behind him.
Bill
Guest
The proof will be in the pudding wont it. The players that have left from the back line Brown ,Frost and Marley williams were all touted as second rate who cannot kick by other supporters now that we clreaded the deadwood everyone thinks we are silly ..........Collingwood is building a strong running defence we have Reid and Keefe a coming back White can play back if required Sharenberg who has elite skills about coming back from injury and Ramsey and langdon sinclair returning next year.We have recuited Dunn as a stop gap and i believe collingwood are looking at recruiting another tall defender before the end of draft period. I think Buckley is trying to get a more mobile attacking backline in place .Our forward structures of Moore,Cox Elliot Fasolo Hoskin Elliot and Mayne should provide a forawrd structure that is not one dimensional and hard to match up on.Witts who left another ruck option that looks like tarzan and plays like jane he is useless couldnt even crack a game in the seniors we tried him in the seniors one dimensional Gold Coast can have him .Like all the players that Buckley has moved on only 1 has preformed else where Shaw but we got Elliot and Tay Adams win win.........No others have done anything have they ? Nathan Brown is one shoulder injury from retirement and Frost is useless with ball in hand as Brisbane will find out, Marley williams buthcers the ball and cant kick being traded for pick 105 tells the story The pies have delisted 11 players this season we are building a strong war chest to get a big forward like a Jonathon Paton from GWS who is rumoured to becoming back to vic end of next saeson or Kennedy from West Coast and we have the dollars to attract a strong kp backman to the club to sure up our bookends ......Whether Buckley is there or not we are Collingwood the biggest club in the land and we will back on top in the very near fututre I You either love us or hates but who cares ..Better to be under the radar tahts the way we like it
In the outer
Guest
I agree.
dave
Guest
Aside from the Gibbs deal trading seems to be a lot more mature these days compared to past years. Trading future picks Is definitely a good idea. The area I have a problem with Is free agent compensation picks. How Is It possible Mayne gets a roughly similar pick to a certain forward traded from Hawks to Swans a few years back? They are that far apart I can't say their names in the same sentence but the compo picks don't reflect this.
me too
Guest
On trading future picks it seems the rules are rather hazy, or simply not adhered to. from another footy forum this salient question: "How did Hawthorn get away with giving their 2017 second rounder to Gold Coast instead of that from GWS via Carlton." From AFL Indicative Draft "If a club trades a future first-round selection, it may not trade any other future selections from the same draft. However if a club retains its future first-round selection, it can trade multiple future selections from other rounds."
Tommo Willo
Roar Pro
Crows made 100% right call on Gibbs. Carlton wanted more for Gibbs than what Adelaide got for Dangerfield, I believe they even asked for a straight swap for Rory Sloane. I mean come on. It seems that their trading with Adelaide is permanently tarnished by the success of Eddie Betts and Sam Jacobs. The worse call was to let Lyons go, and cheaply. I would have preferred that Adelaide drove a harder bargain on Lyons for a mid second round pick and package that with pick 13 for Gibbs, but knowing Carlton they probably wouldn't have accepted.
Aransan
Guest
It seems that coaches likely to be in their last season adopt strategies in an attempt to maximise short term returns. This of course works against anything other than the short term.
In the outer
Guest
Pies players young and older are keen to exit the club on pretty much any basis possible. Jarrod Witts was recently quoted as saying that saw his move to the Suns, as an opportunity to be part of a premiership; which pretty much sums up the gloomy prospects at Collingwood. The Pies 2016 'recruiting' efforts could reasonably be regarded as being amongst the worst in the league, with players jumping ship left, right and centre, the best that Collingwood could manage was to bring on board a classy yet expensive and injury prone midfielder, who at 32 may not continue beyond seasons end, a hack 'defensive forward and a slow, undersized 30 year old backman, whose career should in all rights have already ended. In contrast, WHE does appear capable of adding value to the club over time. It will be interesting to see if Trav Cloke can strike a blow against his old club in the round one clash between the Dogs and Pies, with the Pies in line to be given an absolute belting by the reigning premiers. Although the Pies forwards may again lack potency during 2017, their back six is obviously a huge area of weakness, and will be cut to pieces by the majority of opposition teams. Realistically the only light in the tunnel for long suffering Pies supporters, is the seemingly inevitable departure of Buckley and possibly McGuire at the end of the season; which will at least provide an opportunity for the club to get back on track.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Nice write up Luke. The future trades really added another dimension to the shenanigans, not only opening the way for clubs to have more to trade with, but also adding some intrigue and unpredictability with who might have got greater vale the trade depending on where teams finish up next year. It seems funny that you're trading a player to a team that theoretically will help them get better, yet your price for doing so will go down the better the package you give them. I also wonder whether Mayne might not end up in the backline for the Pies at some point or another if he doesn't manage to revitalise his goal kicking.
Aransan
Guest
I like the idea of trading future draft picks but there has to be a better way of summarising what has happened. For example, I find it very difficult to follow what Carlton did in this regard during the trade period.