It wasn’t the most entertaining trade period we’ve ever seen, but we still had a fair few deals go through and a fair few players find new homes.
How did your club fare in the trade period this year? We’ve rated all of their performances.
Adelaide Crows
In: Jordan Dawson
Out: Jake Kelly
Current picks: 4, 33, 75, 80
The Crows did very well to stare the Swans down and land their prized recruit in Jordan Dawson for a first-round pick they didn’t own at the start of the trade period. They gave away a fair bit in a four-way pick swap, but it ultimately allowed them to satisfy Sydney’s demands and hold onto both pick four this year and their first-rounder in 2022.
That’s smart trading.
Verdict: A
Brisbane Lions
In: Darcy Fort
Out: –
Current picks: 14, 18, 41, 54, 60, 76, 90
The Lions didn’t really need to do a lot this trade period, short of pick up some cover for the injured Eric Hipwood. Of all the options on offer, Darcy Fort was probably the least exciting, but they got their man in a fairly cheap deal.
Verdict: C
Carlton
In: George Hewett, Adam Cerra, Lewis Young
Out: Sam Petrevski-Seton
Current picks: 25, 64, 82
The Blues have again turned to the trade table to boost their chances of a return to finals. Last year, they added good pace on the outside through Zac Williams and Adam Saad and this year they’ve addressed another midfield need in defensive accountability through George Hewett. Of course, the promise and classy ball use of Adam Cerra also helps, while they’ve also got some key defensive depth in Lewis Young.
Importantly, they didn’t overpay for any of their new players.
Losing Sam Petrevski-Seton for so cheap has been criticised by some given his previous draft status, but he clearly wasn’t in the clubs plans anymore and his departure helped them address another area of need.
It’s now up to the Blues to turn another trade period win into actual wins but, for now, they’ve done another great off-season job.
Verdict: A
Collingwood
In: Nathan Kreuger, Patrick Lipinski
Out: Max Lynch
Current picks: 27, 36, 46, 48, 55, 58, 78, 79
Smart enough trading from Collingwood, loading up on picks this year to block any rival bids on Nick Daicos. The trajectory of his career will determine how successful that strategy ends up being and it’s likely we won’t be able to assess it properly for a few years.
Nathan Kreuger and Patrick Lipinski will be good enough players and the Magpies didn’t pay overs for either of them; while Max Lynch showed promise but was always going to be a backup only to Brodie Grundy.
Giving up virtually their entire 2022 draft haul, however, could prove incredibly costly if they have another bad season. For now, they pass.
Verdict: C+
Essendon
In: Jake Kelly
Out: –
Current picks: 11, 51, 56, 87
Tried hard to land Bobby Hill and just missed out, but we’re not convinced he’s really the player who’d take the Bombers to new heights. Jake Kelly will be a very important addition to the back six and his rebounding ability could be a game-changer in 2022.
Verdict: B
Fremantle
In: Will Brodie, Jordan Clark
Out: Adam Cerra
Current picks: 6, 8, 19, 61, 69, 84
The Dockers were able to net good compensation for Adam Cerra and deserve extra plaudits for not having to send any draft capital back to Carlton in the deal. Going to the draft with two top ten picks is a huge win and getting someone with Will Brodie’s potential for virtually nothing could also be one of the great trades.
Not content with their good work, the Dockers managed to hold onto all three first-round picks after only handing Geelong pick 22 (amidst a swap of 2022 picks) for Jordan Clark. Excellent trade period from Freo.
Verdict: A
Geelong Cats
In: Jonathon Ceglar
Out: Nathan Kreuger, Jordan Clark, Darcy Fort
Current picks: 22, 30, 32, 34, 50, 91
Not satisfied with their veteran-heavy approach, the Cats went and got themselves another player over 30 in Jonathon Ceglar, allowing younger players on the fringe to leave on (mostly) cheap deals. However, the Hawks will be paying a lot of his salary and they paid barely anything for him.
Jordan Clark will likely be the one that gets talked about for years to come. Whether he can deliver on all the promise will be a discussion for 2028 but, for now, the Cats came off second best after accepting pick 22 rather than pick 19 for him.
Verdict: C
Gold Coast Suns
In: Mabior Chol
Out: Will Brodie
Current picks: 3
People are scratching their heads as to what the Suns were trying to do this trade period, but they knew what they were doing and they’ve set themselves up very nicely.
They were never going to be able to use that many picks at this draft due to their list size, so shipping almost their entire haul off in exchange for future picks could prove to be an absolute masterstroke – especially if Collingwood are in wooden spoon territory next season.
Gold Coast need to be marked down for getting themselves into the Will Brodie situation in the first place – in that they had to offer a first-rounder alongside him to dump his salary – but this rating will improve markedly if the Magpies are a bottom side in 2022 – which is entirely possible.
Verdict: C+
GWS Giants
In: –
Out: Jeremy Finlayson
Current picks: 2, 13, 53, 71, 89
The Giants tried to make a fair few moves and reportedly had separate deals in place with Hawthorn for Chad Wingard and Luke Breust – but the player knocked the deal back in each instance. They were also reportedly working through a deal to bring Rory Lobb back to the club – but that also fell through after friction emerged with the money situation.
GWS also held firm on Bobby Hill, but also let Jeremy Finlayson go pretty cheaply despite being in contract.
Verdict: C
Hawthorn
In: Max Lynch
Out: Tim O’Brien, Jonathon Ceglar
Current picks: 5, 21, 24, 59, 65, 81
Jeff Kennett, in the only way he knows how, made it public that the Hawks were looking to make “interesting” trades as the club looked to accelerate its rebuild. Tom Mitchell, Jack Gunston, Chad Wingard, Jaeger O’Meara and Luke Breust’s names all came up – but none of them moved.
They had separate deals in place with GWS to send Wingard or Breust across – but the players themselves didn’t agree to it. How that wasn’t worked out in the first place is disappointing.
By all reports, the asking price for those players was simply too high for other clubs to be interested.
Hawthorn’s draft hand is far from poor, but it’s very clear the club failed to achieve what it had set out to do at the beginning of the trade period. Paying Ceglar to pay for the Cats for two years is hardly an exciting move, while bringing Max Lynch across from the Magpies will very likely not be remembered in three years.
Verdict: D+
Melbourne
In: Luke Dunstan
Out: –
Current picks: 17, 37, 49, 57, 94
The Demons, obviously, didn’t need to do much having just won the premiership. However, they’ve still made some very smart moves as they look to turn this year’s flag into the start of a sustained period of success.
The pick swap to get some more selections this season is good business. Adding Luke Dunstan as a free agent raised eyebrows – but we like it. What better way to prevent a premiership hangover than to keep the 22 on their toes by bringing in someone who can steal a spot?
Verdict: B+
North Melbourne
In: Callum Coleman-Jones
Out: Robbie Tarrant
Current picks: 1, 20, 42, 47, 72, 77
North Melbourne were never going to give away pick one for anything other than massive overs, so good on them for sticking to their guns and avoiding years of drama and ‘what ifs’ if they had.
It’s hard to pick out a winner in their trade with Richmond just yet. Callum Coleman-Jones could be their ruckman of the future and the price may be moot in a few years’ time but, for now, they may rue letting that future second-rounder go in that deal.
Verdict: C+
Port Adelaide
In: Jeremy Finlayson
Out: Peter Ladhams
Current picks: 12, 63, 73, 74, 92
Despite talking a big game, Port Adelaide were always keen to let Ladhams and his healthy salary go for the right price and will be thrilled to move further up into the first round as a result. Jeremy Finlayson coming across for peanuts from Greater Western Sydney could also prove to be a very astute deal.
Verdict: B+
Richmond
In: Robbie Tarrant
Out: Mabior Chol, Callum Coleman-Jones
Current picks: 7, 15, 26, 28, 38, 40, 83
Richmond have a very steady draft hand for the first time in a few years and, ultimately, fans will look back and be pleased they didn’t throw those picks around in a panic to bring in experienced bodies.
Mabior Chol and Callum Coleman-Jones departing leaves them a bit thin up the ground, but they got a pretty good return on Coleman-Jones’ departure and look to have retirements down back covered with the addition of Robbie Tarrant.
Verdict: B-
St Kilda
In: –
Out: Luke Dunstan
Current picks: 9, 62, 66, 67, 85
St Kilda weren’t really able to do much at the trade period given their draft hand. Luke Dunstan was always going to leave and, while they missed out on Tristan Xerri, they’ll fancy their chances of landing him when he comes off contract next season.
Verdict: C
Sydney Swans
In: Peter Ladhams
Out: George Hewett, Jordan Dawson
Current picks: 16, 31, 39, 70, 88
It took a long time, but the Swans managed to extract reasonable compensation from the Crows for Jordan Dawson, but ultimately ended up having to pay a very similar price to bring Peter Ladhams across from Port Adelaide.
They played the hand they were dealt fairly well.
Verdict: B-
West Coast Eagles
In: Sam Petrevski-Seton
Out: –
Current picks: 10, 29, 35, 68, 86
After a very poor season, the instinctive reaction is to be disappointed at the Eagles not doing much at the trade table. However, there’s not really a lot they could’ve done.
Port Adelaide’s asking price for Sam Powell-Pepper would’ve likely been to high to justify the risk. It’s not as if many of their other veteran players would have had a great deal of currency to justify blowing the team up either.
Sam Petrevski-Seton came across cheaply, so they get some marks for that. Ultimately, if the Eagles fail to fire again in 2022, it won’t be the fault of their trade period.
Verdict: C
Western Bulldogs
In: Tim O’Brien
Out: Lewis Young, Patrick Lipinski
Current picks: 23, 43, 44, 45, 52, 93
Tim O’Brien could be a game-changing acquisition for a Bulldogs side that’s been missing a strong intercepting defender. Lewis Young and Patrick Lipinski were hardly going to feature in next year’s best 22, so they fact they left cheaply can’t be of concern.
Verdict: B-
Article by Stirling Coates and Tim Miller
DarwinDee
Guest
Yes Don that's cause they end up with WA girls who won't leave home because they are West Aussies who can't handle the big wide world. Like most of you guys over there who still live within 10 minutes of mummy and daddy.
DarwinDee
Guest
And with that ridiculous statement your opinions are no longer welcome lol. Never saw anyone drink Swan in the 20 years I was living there.
DarwinDee
Guest
Having lived in both Vic and WA for an equal amount of years I can assure you Perth boys are a bunch of mummy boys as much as Melbourne boys are. It's kids from the country you want to recruit. Any state. They are the ones less likley to have a cry cause mummy can't tuck them in at night.
DarwinDee
Guest
Swan draught is vomit. Exports actually not too bad.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Maybe that is what Port should work on. Deploy the future effectively.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Duursma is developing as a wingman and Rozee is a forward. Butters is the only pure midfielder of the trio but he's has three knee injuries in the last 12 months and missed 12 games this season. It's possible that Butters has an injury-free year, Duursma bulks up and becomes a reliable centre-square player and Rozee develops more into a hybrid mid/forward role. That's a lot being left to chance, though.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
He’s been dipped in purple haze, looks like l’ve grown a soft spot for your club damn it :stoked:
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Already referring to people in purple as "we". A really welcome addition. This is a man really comfortable in every moment of his life. In a stress-filled industry, he'll provide great balance.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Don it’s strange seeing the great Bob in a purple top!
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
It is a well known and established fact that the AFL spends this time between the end of the trade period and the draft auditing the clubs Total Player Payments. There are several periods of list lodgement that clubs need to abide by, with the main date being October 31. Then there's Delisted Free Agency next month between November 11 and 12, where clubs will have been cleared to sign players if they have the cap and list space. The reason for the timing of the draft in November coincides with school leavers finishing their studies, but it is not the reason why there is so long between the trade and draft. Part of the reason is also the Melbourne Cup and Spring Carnival, not because the sports are connected but because the AFL wants media attention 12 months of the year. Why do you think they scheduled the AFLW season to start in December? Perhaps this is a case of "audit" being a word you associate with tax and fraud, I really don't know. There is probably a more accurate way to describe it, but you said yourself there are multiple list lodgement deadlines. Why do you think they must do that? Fantasy Football? For $h1ts and giggles. It's for auditing salaries and working with clubs to ensure they remain compliant with the cap constraints throughout the offeason.
JB
Guest
The reason there is so long between trade period and the ND is so that the players nominating the draft can finish school first. I think you just made up 'audit' to suit your argument. I cannot remember ever reading about audits, happy to be corrected though. Certainly there are a number of list lodgements, but there always have been
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
You keep mentioning 16th. You do realise that had the Suns beaten the Blues earlier in the season then Carlton would have finished 16th, right? The Blues were 2 goals from pick 3! In your ongoing criticism of the Suns, I can just tell that you are itching to talk about Carlton’s excuses for being so underwhelming. Lol. Just typing that I got a mental image of Paddy Cripps crying after another loss to the Suns and doing a Max Hudghton impression, simultaneously sobbing and punching himself in the face. So let’s break it down. Carlton sent two pick 6s to WA, giving up on 94 gamer Sam Petrevski-Seton and bringing in the over-hyped Adam Cerra on huge money. Maybe it’s a little bit of SPS giving up on Carlton and some really poor coaching playing him out of position, which Michael Voss couldn’t dissuade him from even though he has a 38% winning coaching record compared to SPS’s rate of a miserable 28% over 5 years. I mean, it’s a good song, Macca, but how does it go again? What real improvement has the trade period made to your list? Cerra was a first rounder, but you’ve got heaps of those already, so maybe he gives the team a little boost or maybe after some flat form he needs to be dropped so Voss can see what he’s got in the busts that Bolton and Teague failed to motivate. George Hewett is a solid pick up, but what does he have that Jack Newnes needs to be dropped for. Then there’s Lewis Young, who won’t be in your best 22. What’s going out? Michael Gibbons might be VFL standard, but surely it’s better to keep him in your VFL team as depth rather than someone else’s, no? Losing Betts, Murphy and Casboult puts your list’s average age down considerably, although for a rebuilt list it isn’t all that young, and there are 850 games of experience walking out with only 220 coming in. In terms of the draft, things look dire. 3 picks, none on the first night, one 2nd round, one 4th round and one 5th round. I may have just written a whole article about the value of late picks, but Carlton should have read it before mortgaging their 2021 draft. The Blues get an A for trading in talent, but taking into consideration the draft position, players leaving and only one trade that actually brought in a pick, the end result will be a C. I would say that the natural progression of another preseason and maturity of your players should see a climb up the ladder, but you don’t believe in that. Which is a pretty ludacris position, don’t you think?
RT
Roar Rookie
I didn't call you a liar, I said you were being misleading because you were only telling half the story. I pointed this out the first time I saw you comment on the funding cut and quoted figures. Those figures showed that whilst Gold Coast had to operate with a big funding cut from the AFL, other clubs had to operate with just as big a cut, but from other sources such as gate revenue. Gold Coast were no more disadvantaged by COVID than many other clubs.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
You’ve attracted a troll, so I won’t engage further except to refute your main point. Every club receives funding from the AFL, even Richmond. The fact that the Suns received more in past years is due to the challenges of operating in a non-traditional AFL market. GWS and Brisbane also get a large piece of the pie. It is the price of AFL expansion. The AFL are the owners of the Suns, but once the club achieves more financial independence it will gain it’s ownership. The Suns had a funding cut of $10.6 million in 2021. Other clubs had their funding reduced, but none so savagely. Not even close. I submitted an article with this fact and was asked by Roar editors to substantiate my claims. Please refrain from calling me a liar. The information is easily obtained. You can find it on the ABC website.
Tim Keller
Roar Rookie
Whenever the facts or truth be told either insults or diversion is the only way apparently. Hmm wonder why I'm single
Tim Keller
Roar Rookie
He will always avoid key points when they cast shade onto eventing he preaches
RT
Roar Rookie
Richmond are pretty open, I receive the Annual Report. The AFL have a minimum membership value to be counted in membership figures of $50 or so. The pet membership myth has been long debunked. Junior Richmond memberships start at $55, 11 times the cost of a Southport discount card. Again you divert from the point I was making that you throw in spin rather than just sticking to relevant facts. It is like you have graduated straight from AFL House.
RT
Roar Rookie
The Greens couldn’t organise a tree planting, but well done avoiding the key point on my comment.
Tim Keller
Roar Rookie
Owned by WA mate get it right why would we share when all we get is hate like you spew. A very very small percentage of people I know from WA have this so called chip your talking about and that chip only really comes out when morons have cheap shots at us Pretty much proping up the entire country at the moment you should thank us and our tasty chips ????
Tim Keller
Roar Rookie
Did you just out research the self proclaimed best Roar researcher,? Booom