Despite a frenetic final session which resulted in many trades, the movement of top 100 players in the end was fairly minimal.
The biggest trade in terms of seniority was Hawthorn’s Jack Gunston.
Gunston was the Hawks’ 28th greatest game-player and the club’s 10th greatest goal-scorer and, whilst his move to Brisbane at the age of 30 will not result in him becoming a top 100 game player or goal-scorer at the Lions, it will mean his position of an AFL top 100 goal-scorer will be enhanced.
Starting the 2022 season in the hot seat on 398 goals after no goals in 2021, Gunston kicked a respectable 32 in 2022 and moved up to 93rd place on the AFL top 100 goal-scorers list. He’ll be looking to move higher up the list over the next two years.
Some interesting trades also occurred at the Western Bulldogs. Josh Dunkley – after missing out on being traded to Essendon last season – eventually got his trade to Brisbane. Dunkley finished his career at the Bulldogs one game short of becoming an elite top 100 game-player at the club!
However, he did manage to climb into equal 95th position on the top 100 list of goal-scorers, equal with Coby Weightman and four previous champions (Charlie Sutton, Ross Abbey, Ian Low and Ricky Spargo). Lurking just outside the top 100 goal scorers are Josh Bruce and Toby McLean, who are currently two and three goals respectively behind the crowd of six in the ‘hot’ seat.
Zaine Cordy did a little better, playing two more games than Dunkley and finishing his career at the club in 98th position on the games played list, six positions lower than his father, Brian Cordy. His position amongst the elite could be lost however before the end of the 2023 season with Bailey Dale, Bailey Williams, Aaron Naughtin and Toby McLean all within striking distance of a top 100 game player ranking.
The biggest surprise at the Bulldogs was the departure of Lachie Hunter – already a top 50 game player at the club and the 81st greatest goal-scorer. Two other Bulldog top 100 game players’ careers finished when they retired at the Cats: Luke Dahlhaus and Shaun Higgins.
At Richmond, amongst a number of changes, only three retirements impacted on the Tigers’ top 100 lists. Shane Edwards, fourth greatest game player at Richmond, is also the AFL equal 81st greatest game player, and is set to remain an elite player for decades as future champions gradually overtake the 10 players on the AFL list who retired on exactly 300 games.
Edwards is also in the top quartile of goal-kickers at the Tigers so his place in Richmond’s history is ensured.
Kane Lambert is also likely to be entitled to a seat at any top 100 function over the next two decades by finishing his career as the 84th greatest game player at the club. His position as equal 98th greatest goal-scorer is a bit more tenuous, but it is difficult to see who will challenge it over the next few years.
Josh Caddy did not play enough games to qualify as a top 100, but as the Tigers’ 85th greatest goal scorer is also guaranteed a long tenure.
In terms of total departures, Hawthorn had the biggest clean out with 10 players departing at the end of the 2022 season. They were closely followed by Geelong with nine exits, proving once again their ability to refresh their list annually.
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