With the trade and free agency windows open and ready to fire, everyone loves hypothesising potential moves and considering what left-field player movements will occur.
Below are five moves that, while unlikely, would provide a great boost to the receiving club and potentially showcase a player’s ability greater than their current club.
Chad Wingard to Sydney
Rumours have circulated for a number of weeks that Wingard has been looking to leave Port Adelaide, with Victoria likely to be a new home. Despite the club denying any chance of Wingard leaving, a cryptic Instagram post certainly left the door ajar for the talented 25-year-old.
While the Bulldogs and Hawthorn are two clubs that have been suggested, the Swans are certainly a team that should look to get involved in any sort of movement in this area.
Wingard divides footy fans, with some believing he is a fantastic talent who could burst into the truly elite bracket, while others feel he is overrated and inconsistent. Over the past two seasons, he has proven himself to be a damaging player in the midfield, while still having that ability to hit the scoreboard in times of need.
Many see Sydney as a sinking ship after many years of quality performances, however, an addition like Wingard could reinvigorate a one-dimensional forward half. They have room to make a big signing, and the 25-year-old provides the Swans with a mercurial x-factor across half-forward that they haven’t seen for a while.
A Lance Franklin/Wingard combination would be magical.
Dayne Beams to Essendon
The Bombers are a midfielder away from a top-four finish. If the past few seasons are to be treated as an indicator, we can expect an oft-overlooked team to rise into premiership contention, and Essendon seems the most likely club.
After showing some great form in the backend of the season, the addition of one more quality midfielder could do the trick. There has been talk that Dayne Beams is looking to move back to Victoria either this year, or at the end of his contract next year, and quite obviously, Collingwood would seem the likely destination.
With Zach Merrett and Dyson Heppell thriving with their work spreading from the contest, Beams would sit perfectly in the thick of the action in Essendon’s midfield. All three have the versatility to be damaging inside and out, which gives the Bombers such unpredictability in the midfield.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Consider Devon Smith’s ability to extract the ball and Darcy Parish and Kyle Langford likely to become absolute bulls in 2019, and Beams’ experience would fit in beautifully in the red and black. It would also give Beams a clear role to play, whereas a move back to Collingwood could see a star lost in the shuffle.
Tom Scully to Melbourne
Now this would be interesting. Melbourne’s magical run came to an abrupt end in the preliminary finals, when they were comprehensively beaten in Perth. The Demons are strong all over the ground, and the potential inclusion of Steven May would only make the club stronger.
Jesse Hogan’s departure, should it eventuate, would be a loss, but Melbourne has proven to operate with an efficient and impressive forward mix.
The one key area that the Demons can improve upon is its gut-running on the wing. For all intents and purposes, Bayley Fritsch was the only true wingman in the team for the entire season, and they sacrificed him at team selection for the preliminary final. A true hard-working runner would provide a sense of stability for the Demons, in the same way Steele Sidebottom, Andrew Gaff, Isaac Smith and Jack Macrae provide for their respective teams.
With Tom Scully potentially gettable at the end of this season, a bold move by the Demons to get him back to the club would fix up the one on-field deficiency that became apparent in 2018.
Lachie Henderson to Adelaide
Henderson could re-sign at any stage with the Cats but as of right now, his contract expires shortly. Geelong fans have been unfairly critical of Henderson on social media at stages, but when he’s fully fit, the 28-year-old is certainly a valued asset.
This means Geelong won’t want to move him on, but a club like Adelaide should certainly ask the question of Henderson’s management, as their second key defensive post is still relatively questionable.
Alex Keath has continued to develop, potentially overtaking Kyle Hartigan, but neither do a different job good enough to contrast Daniel Talia. Henderson is a more attacking key defender, and his ball use and willingness to go long and open up scoring opportunities matches Adelaide’s long-kicking from defence perfectly.
Looking at a different sporting code, the most successful soccer teams in Europe have identified that having centre-backs who are comfortable on the ball and are willing to pass, are far more valuable than dour defenders. With Daniel Talia taking more marks and Jake Kelly kicking the ball more directly, both historically defensive-minded, Henderson would suit the club’s back six perfectly.
Adelaide should look to take advantage of Geelong’s tardiness and consider a move for Henderson.
Jack Steven to Hawthorn
Again driven by media speculation that there may be unhappiness at play here, if Jack Steven were to leave, Hawthorn should look to be at the front of the line in chasing him. Adding the explosive Saint to the midfield mix would add something completely different and lacking for the Hawks.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Steven has played in 31 wins from his past 86 games, yet has managed to poll 57 Brownlow votes in that same period of time. Hawthorn has a lack of genuine pace in its midfield to complement its young quality.
The 28-year-old’s distribution is questioned at times, however, his clearances work and ability to get the ball moving forward is currently wasted at St Kilda, whereas it could be maximised at Hawthorn. That “chaos ball”, as coined by Dwayne Russell, suits the class of Breust and Puopolo inside 50, while Shaun Burgoyne and Jarman Impey are likely beneficiaries when they play forward.
The addition of Steven would make a lot of sense for the Hawks.
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