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What you club needs from the AFL trade period: Part 1

Roar Rookie
19th October, 2020
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Roar Rookie
19th October, 2020
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With the impending finish to the weird and wacky 2020 AFL season, the silly season is about to begin. And the silly season means one thing: trade period.

All clubs are looking to improve their lists for a better chance to be on the dais on the last Saturday of September. Some clubs, like North Melbourne, are going through a rebuilding period, whereas clubs like Collingwood and Brisbane are a part of a premiership tilt.

This what every club requires in the trade and draft period for next season.

Stay up to date with the latest AFL trade rumours here.

Adelaide Crows

Rumoured players to arrive
Orazio Fantasia and Jackson Hately

Who and what they need
The Crows hold a very strong hand in the draft with Picks 1, 8, 20, 29, 44, 50, 60 and 74. With such a young group they must adopt a Brisbane Lions-style approach whereby getting kids from Adelaide and South Australia and mates from Victoria so they can stay as a group through the rebuild and the hopeful success of the football club.

This could include Riley Thilthorpe (key forward, 200 centimetres and 99 kilograms, West Adelaide Football Club), who is projected by Cal Twomey’s phantom draft at Pick 4, or Tanner Bruhn (midfielder, 182 centimetres and 73 kilograms, Geelong Falcons).

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It will also be interesting to see whether they bid on No. 1 draft prospect Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who is currently sewn up by the Western Bulldogs in the next-generation academy. Not only do they require a successful draft, but they also need to trade to get experience and some star factor in the club.

How they get it done
First trade:

  • Essendon: Pick 20
  • Adelaide: Orazio Fantasia

Second trade:

  • GWS: Pick 29
  • Adelaide: Jackson Hatley
Orazio Fantasia runs with the ball.

Orazio Fantasia (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

Brisbane Lions

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Rumoured players to arrive
Joe Daniher

Who and what they need
Brisbane’s prelims loss shows that they lack a big-bodied midfield and a lynchpin up forward. They hold a steady draft hand with Picks 18, 19, 38 and 64, but they don’t necessarily need to go to the draft – instead they must use draft picks as bait to lure the likes of Joe Daniher, who, if fit, could be the best player in the competition.

The Lions require a big-bodied midfielder to fight with the likes of Geelong, Richmond, Port Adelaide’s midfields. One player they should go after is Brayden Sier, who has not been able to cement his spot in the Collingwood best 22. Sier was a part of the Collingwood’s run to the 2018 grand final and weighs in at 90 kilos and is 1.91 meters tall.

Another player Brisbane could go after is Jack Ziebell. Ziebell could want to get out of the mess at Arden Street and is an experienced player. This may be a fantasy trade, but if Ziebell wants to win a flag, he could venture North. The Lions could use his big frame in the midfield and help Lachie Neale.

How they get it done
First (possible mega) trade:

  • Brisbane: Pick 6 (Essendon), Joe Daniher
  • Essendon: Pick 7 (Carlton), Pick 19 (Brisbane), Alex Witherden
  • Carlton: Adam Saad, Jordan de Goey
  • Collingwood: Pick 18 (Brisbane), Future first and second round pick (Carlton)

Second trade:

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  • Brisbane: Jack Ziebell
  • North Melbourne: Pick 38 and Future second round pick
  • Brisbane: Brayden Sier
  • Collingwood: future third-round pick, Pick 64, Mitch Robinson
Joe Daniher

Joe Daniher (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Carlton Blues

Rumoured players to arrive
Adam Saad and Zac Williams

Who and what they need
The Carlton future is looking bright, and bringing the likes of Adam Saad and Zac Williams is exciting for all blue baggers. The Blues need to provide some support around captain Patrick Cripps, who struggled later in the season with a shoulder injury and the fact he must single-handedly provide Carlton wins.

The Blues currently hold picks from the first round, second round, third round and fifth round – Picks 7, 27, 45, 81. They have been rumoured to be coveting the signature of Jordan de Goey as well – they should go after him as they could use him up forward to help with young forwards Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Mitch McGovern.

How they get it done
First (possible mega) trade:

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  • Brisbane: Pick 6 (Essendon), Joe Daniher
  • Essendon: Pick 7 (Carlton), Pick 19 (Brisbane), Alex Witherden
  • Carlton: Adam Saad, Jordan de Goey
  • Collingwood: Pick 18 (Brisbane), Future first and second round pick (Carlton)

Second trade:

  • Carlton: Zac Williams
  • GWS: Pick 27 and Paddy Dow
Zac Williams of the Giants celebrates a goal

Zac Williams (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Collingwood Magpies

Rumoured players to arrive
No-one is rumoured to be signing with Collingwood; they have prioritised the re-signing of Jordan de Goey and Darcy Moore.

Who and what they need
There are no two ways about it – Collingwood seriously need a full-forward and cannot rely on the combination of Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox to win a flag. The full-forwards currently on the market are Ben Brown, Jeremy Cameron and Peter Wright. The player the Pires need most is Brown, who has averaged 49 goals over the last four years and is still only 27 years old so has probably another two or three years of good football ahead of him.

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How they get it done
First trade:

  • Collingwood: Ben Brown
  • North Melbourne: Pick 34 and Future third round pick
Ben Brown

Ben Brown (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Essendon Bombers

Rumoured players to arrive
Alex Witherden and Jy Caldwell

Who and what they need
The Essendon mass exodus is a serious concern for first-year coach Ben Rutten as there seems to be a culture problem at the long-time successful club. The Bombers are going through their own rebuild and must use the draft wisely so they can fly up, up the ladder.

Another important task in the trade period is to re-sign midfielder Zach Merrett, who is arguably the club’s best player. The Bombers could possibly look at drafting a key defender like Denver Grainger-Barrass, who could take over from Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker, who are coming to the end of their careers.

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How they get it done
First (possible mega) trade:

  • Brisbane: Pick 6 (Essendon), Joe Daniher
    Essendon: Pick 7 (Carlton), 19 (Brisbane), Alex Witherden
  • Carlton: Adam Saad, Jordan de Goey
  • Collingwood: Pick 18 (Brisbane), Future first and second round pick (Carlton)

Second trade:

  • GWS Giants: future second round pick
  • Essendon: Jye Caldwell
Alex Witherden Brisbane Lions 2017 AFL

Alex Witherden (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Fremantle Dockers

Rumoured players to arrive
Jordan Clark

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Who and what they need
Fremantle have shown promise under new coach Justin Longmuir, but it’s fair to say some players in their best 22 are stop-gaps, and if the Dockers want to break the premiership hoodoo, they must look at trade and draft.

The players Fremantle should target with the impending inclusion of Jordan Clark are Quinton Narkle and Marlion Pickett. As both of these players are from Western Australia, they may be easier to poach than some people think. Narkle suffered a hamstring injury and has since struggled to get into Geelong’s best 22, while 2019 grand final hero Marlion Pickett is off contract and could look to return home to Perth to be closer to family.

How they get it done
First trade:

  • Geelong: future second-round pick and Joel Hamling
  • Fremantle: Quinton Narkle and future fourth-round pick

Second trade:

  • Richmond: Pick 28, Jesse Hogan (when Jack Riewoldt retires)
  • Fremantle: Marlion Pickett

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Geelong Cats

Rumoured players to arrive
Isaac Smith, Shaun Higgins and Jeremy Cameron

Who and what they need
There are no two ways about it irrespective of the result on Saturday night: Geelong are one of the best clubs of the modern era. And behind the success is the fact they have been able to trade well to suit their club and certain needs. An example of this is the rumours circling that Jeremy Cameron is on his way back home to Geelong. He would fit their needs perfectly, playing a high half role with Hawkins in the goal square.

How they get it done
First trade:

  • GWS: Pick 11, 16
  • Geelong: Jeremy Cameron

Second trade:

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  • North Melbourne: future second-round pick
  • Geelong: Shaun Higgins

Third trade not required with Hawthorn for Isaac Smith as he isn’t a restricted free agent.

Jeremy Cameron

Jeremy Cameron (Robert Cianflone/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Gold Coast Suns

Rumoured players to arrive
Oleg Markov

Who and what they need
With superstar Matt Rowell coming through, it’s clear the Suns midfield requires another midfielder, and with the rumours of Adam Treloar wanting to follow his wife, Kim Ravallion, up north, some pundits believe it is a must for the glamour club to sign him. The Suns also require another ruckman. As much as Jarrod Witts is one of the best players on the list, he requires another on the job. This could include the two rucks: Tom Hickey or Nathan Vardy.

How they get it done
First trade:

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  • Collingwood: Pick 5
  • Gold Coast: Adam Treloar

Second trade:

  • West Coast: Pick 35
  • Gold Coast: Tom Hickey/Nathan Vardy

Third trade:

  • Richmond: Pick 72 and future fourth round pick
  • Gold Coast: Oleg Markov

Greater Western Sydney Giants

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Rumoured players to arrive
Braydon Preuss

Who and what they need
With the impending departure of superstar forward Jeremy Cameron, Greater Western Sydney will require another forward, but there aren’t many full-forwards out there. They could have a go at poaching Josh Bruce from the Bulldogs or look at prizing the signature of two-metre Peter Wright.

Braydon Preuss has also told the Melbourne Football Club that he wants to depart to join the Giants. This would be a massive signature for GWS, who require a mature ruckman to help Shane Mumford.

How they get it done
First trade:

  • GWS: Braydon Preuss
  • Melbourne: future third round pick

Second trade:

  • GWS: Josh Bruce
  • Western Bulldogs: future second round pick
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