THE TRADING CHRONICLES 2019

Demonland · October 5, 2019

PART ONE - OVERTURE

I have a disclaimer at the outset. I’m not a fan of the races - be they horses or motors of any kind. Once the final siren sounds on the football season, I find the month or so that follows and corresponds roughly with the Spring Racing Carnival to be the most boring time of the year for sports fans. You turn on the radio and you’re confronted by the monotonous drone of a self-proclaimed racing expert or by the nasally twang of an ex-jockey banging on about the equine prospects in a coming group one race.

Who cares?

But we now have another phenomenon adding to the off season boredom and that’s the concept of the endless AFL trade radio, television and other media discussions proliferating on the airwaves and the internet.

Trade talk apparently rates well and makes for lucrative clickbait targeting so get ready for a week or so of endlesss repetition about whether this or that player will leave his club, which club is playing the role of suitor and how much it’s going to cost in terms of draft selections or other incentives to get him across.

And because there is a limited number of players who will ultimately trade places, this information will tend to be repeated often and ad nauseum.

Actually, the talk has started some time ago and the opening of the free trade window has already seen the first dominoes (Brandon Ellis and Cameron Ellis-Youlmen) fall but this will only get worse when the official trade period starts at 9.00 am on Monday and builds up to that final crescendo on Wednesday week.

The Trading Chronicles will come back to you on a regular basis with the highlights of this trade period but don’t say that you haven’t been warned. It’s going to be an encyclopedia chronicling repetitive and boring information over the next ten days until the Big Bang happens on Wednesday 16 October and the curtain falls and trade radio is silenced just in time to take in the excitement of the Caulfield Cup.

Done deals:

Brandon Ellis (Richmond to Gold Coast Suns) restricted free agent - Richmond gets an end of second round draft pick by way of compensation

Cameron Ellis-Youlmen (Adelaide to Brisbane) unrestricted free agent

Whispering_Jack · October 7, 2019

PART TWO - THE LANGUAGE OF THE AFL

Speaking today on Telstra AFL Trade Radio, Essendon General Manager of list and recruiting Adrian Dodoro said: “Our intention is for Joe Daniher to play for the Essendon Football Club not only in 2020 but for a long time after that”.

Those words translate into plain English as: “Two first round draft picks will do the trick”.

I look forward to nine days of argy bargy before the Joey dons the red and white of the Sydney Swans at 7.28pm on Wednesday week. The machinations involved in reaching that outcome will be well worth following, not to mention the cost of the popcorn.

The key to this could well be the Sydney Swans’ small forward Tom Papley who has requested a trade back to his home state of Victoria. According to Swans CEO Tom Harley: "Now, there’s been the link to Carlton, we understand that, we know that, but what we don’t know and what will probably evolve over the next little while is Tom’s keenness to get to Melbourne, but from where the club sits, he’s a contracted player and we will do what is best for the footy club."

Those words translate into plain English as: “Carlton needs to hand over pick #9 and then we’ll talk”.

Dodoro also had his hands full with speculation that Orazio Fantasia has requested a trade to leave the Bombers: “Orazio has not expressed any interest in leaving the club,” Dodoro said on Telstra AFL Trade Radio this morning.

Those words translate into plain English as: “He’s halfway out the door and a late first rounder should see him return to SA”.

Now that you get my drift, it’s easy to work out the language Jamie Elliott’s management was speaking when it prized out a three year offer from Melbourne when the Pies were only prepared to offer their injury-prone player two years. Demons football boss Josh Mahoney told reporters that Jamie Elliott has informed the club that he won't be seeking a move there. The race is down to Brisbane and current club Collingwood, with the Magpies confident he will stay. Which could translate into anything.

Other highlights of the day were -

• No trades as such but that’s not unusual because in 2017, it took until the Thursday morning for the first deal (Jake Lever) to go down. Last year, it happened at mid-morning on day one (Lincoln McCarthy) and in 2016, it was late on Tuesday (Cam McCarthy). With Dodoro heavily involved this year, don’t hold your breath.

• Not much happening on the Tim Kelly front.

• No offers yet premiership-winning Hawk Grant Birchall as several clubs – not just Brisbane – circle the the unrestricted free agent.

• St Kilda football chief Simon Lethlean revealed his club has spoken to the management of Gold Coast youngster Ben King about reuniting him with his twin brother Max at the end of next year.

• ... and in late news, a done deal as the paperwork has been officially lodged for Melbourne to receive unrestricted free agent Adam Tomlinson. The GWS Giants will be compensated with an end of second round pick, currently #40. The Demons are said to be intent on playing Tomlinson on a wing next year. Translated into plain English, that means we should expect him to line up in a forward pocket as a relief ruckman for Max Gawn.

Demonland · October 8, 2019

PART THREE - DEJA VU

I was shocked to read that Adelaide’s Alex Keath has gone through medical examinations at both the St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs which uncovered the fact that he had a stress fracture in his leg. It brought back painful memories of the time a few years back when then Demon Jack Trengove paid a visit to the Richmond club doctor who diagnosed a serious foot injury and ended any chance of a trade to the Tigers. As a consequence, Melbourne missed out on selecting Jake Lever in the national draft and the rest is history.

The Crows are looking bad. It’s bad enough that half their team wants out, but their medical staff seems to have botched Keath’s recovery when they diagnosed the stress fracture weeks before the end of the season and decided that it wasn’t serious enough to warrant surgery. Keath has since had an operation and will now be out of action for four months - his suitors are so unimpressed that they are rethinking their offers for his transfer. Needless to say there’s no trade on the immediate horizon for the hobbled Crow.

There were no trades anywhere else on the horizon with the Joe Daniher deal remaining in limbo. The Bombers remain on everyone’s radar with forward Orazio Fantasia set to announce a preference to join Port Adelaide now that he’s decided on a new manager and the club is also said to have been in talks with Collingwood about the availability of Mason Cox (presumably a replacement for Daniher when they eventually sit down and talk trades).

There will be no trade for Collingwood high-flyer Jamie Elliott who has decided to remain with the Pies, signing the reported two year deal on offer.

Meanwhile, Brisbane has given out of favour duo Tom Cutler and Lewis Taylor their blessings to explore finding a new home. Good luck with that!

So the second day of the trade period is over without a trade and less than a handful of free agency outcomes. It’s like watching paint dry.

DONE DEALS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5

• Brandon Ellis joins the Gold Coast Suns as a restricted free agent. Richmond receives a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #39).

• Cam Ellis-Yolmen joins Brisbane as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide receives a third-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #47).

MONDAY OCTOBER 7

• Adam Tomlinson joins Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent. GWS Giants receive a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #40).

Whispering_Jack · October 9, 2019

PART FOUR - MAKING LIKE BUSHRANGERS

Tim Kelly will join a stellar West Coast Eagles midfield in 2020 leaving pundits debating as to the extent of the cost to the club.

The first done trade deal delivered picks 14, 24 and 37 in this year’s draft as well as their first pick in the 2020 AFL draft in return for Kelly, pick 57 and the Cats’ third round pick in 2020.

The Bombers got themselves involved in the deal using picks 37 and 52 to get picks 33 and 57 back because they wanted to “sharpen up their position in the 30s.”

The Cats drafted Kelly in the 2017 Draft with pick 24 so they’ve done pretty well out of him. In fact, it looks like they’re making like the bushrangers of old in an earlier era involving another gentlemen named “Kelly”.

Oh, and by the way, the pick 24 that got Kelly to the Cats was a compensation pick for a restricted free agent Steve Motlop who left them to join Port Adelaide. Motlop anyone?

Meanwhile, the Bombers are not only battling to retain two important forwards in Joe Daniher and Orazio Fantasia but also their credibility. They deny pursuing a surprise trade deal for Magpie ruckman Mason Cox but the Age’s Sam McClure, one of the reporters who broke the story, has declared the the conversation “1000 per cent” happened. The question is why they’re denying it and why they’re taking it personally?

Those who have been following the trades and drafts over the years would be wondering why indeed? Has Dodoro or someone else at Bomberland overstepped the mark in pushing up the big Magpie’s name?

Apart from the Kelly deal, no other deals were made on the third day of trades and very little new information came to light other than that fringe GWS midfielder Aiden Bonar has a name to keep an eye on as the trade period unfolds. Multiple clubs are reported to have shown an interest in Bonar who has played just six games in two years at the Giants.

I’m going outside to watch the grass grow. It’s more exciting!

DONE DEALS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5

• Brandon Ellis joins the Gold Coast Suns as a restricted free agent. Richmond receives a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #39).

• Cam Ellis-Yolmen joins Brisbane as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide receives a third-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #47).

MONDAY OCTOBER 7

• Adam Tomlinson joins Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent. GWS Giants receive a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #40).

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9

• Tim Kelly joins the West Coast Eagles for picks 14, 24 and 37 in this year’s draft as well as the Eagles’ first-round pick in the 2020 AFL draft. The Eagles receive pick 57 and Geelong’ third round pick in 2020.

Whispering_Jack · October 10, 2019

PART FIVE - THE ART OF THE DEAL

The last person one would expect to enter onto the trade stage would have to be The Trumpster but that is exactly what transpired today when St Kilda traded its lynchpin draft selection number 6, expected to be crucial in helping it secure the Dockers’ wantaway winger Bradley Hill. Fremantle was apparently asking for the pick and a lot more but, in a maneuver right out of the Donald ‘Art of the Deal’ Trump rulebook, the Saints countered by ‘splitting’ that selection, throwing in pick 59 and, in return, they gained picks 12 and 18 from Greater Western Sydney.

Now, if the Dockers want to continue with a trade for Hill, they will have to be content with 12 and some more for him - it’s unlikely that they will finish with a top-10 selection as part of the deal. Whatever happens, this trade has all the hallmarks of one day being recognised as a mark of trading genius or a classic blunder. Time will tell.

Another strange occurrence centred around Orazio Fantasia, who was set to return home amid interest from Port Adelaide. The Bomber forward reportedly engaged a South Australian agent yesterday to help him sort out the move, but by the end of the day, it was announced that he will remain a Bomber.

Meanwhile, the Demons are getting closer to securing Freo’s Ed Langdon. Reports suggest, the club’s second round pick will be involved in the exchange.

That said, the day ended without a player trade to add to yesterday’s epic Tim Kelly move across the Nullarbor to the West Coast Eagles.

The end of the day also saw the shutting of the free agency window with one final deal - the move of Hawthorn’s unrestricted free agent multiple premiership player, Grant Birchall, to the Brisbane Lions. This one won’t involve any reward for his old club because is there’s no compensation available under the AFL scale.

This left St Kilda's Jack Newnes as the highest-profile free agent on the shelf, along with Hawthorn premiership pair Ryan Schoenmakers and Paul Puopolo and a handful of others.

With the weekend approaching, there’s a lot of work left to do and recruiters and player managers were seen scurrying into second hand bookshops seeking out the contents of the remainder bins and looking for copies of Trump’s classic tome about the art of dealing.

DONE DEALS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5

• Brandon Ellis joins the Gold Coast Suns as a restricted free agent. Richmond receives a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #39).

• Cam Ellis-Yolmen joins Brisbane as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide receives a third-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #47).

MONDAY OCTOBER 7

• Adam Tomlinson joins Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent. GWS Giants receive a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #40).

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9

• Tim Kelly joins the West Coast Eagles for picks 14, 24 and 37 in this year’s draft as well as the Eagles’ first-round pick in the 2020 AFL draft. The Eagles receive pick 57 and Geelong’s third round pick in 2020.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 10

• St Kilda trade picks 6 and 59 to Greater Western Sydney and receive picks 12 and18.

• Hawthorn’s Grant Birchall leaves for the Brisbane Lions as an unrestricted free agent. Hawthorn will not receive any compensation.

Demonland · October 11, 2019

PART SIX – THE DAY OF THE DEMONS

Melbourne secured its second player of the trade and free agency period when it completed a deal that allowed pacy Docker Ed Langdon to return to his home state of Victoria. The deal was intertwined with the transaction that saw Demon defender Sam Frost land at Hawthorn with draft picks bouncing around like pinballs for a while.

When the dust settled, the end result for Melbourne was that it filled two gaping holes in its lineup with Langdon and Adam Tomlinson, moved around second and third round picks - it now holds picks 26 and 50 (after trading away 22 and 42 and moving some later picks) and shuffled around its future second and fourth round picks.

The Demons now have the two men they targeted and retained selections in each of the first three rounds of the national draft.

Melbourne’s General Manager of Football Operations Josh Mahoney said 23-year-old Langdon’s ability to play the wing position was the main attraction for the club. Tomlinson is also likely to line up on a wing bringing about a radical alteration to the club’s match day structure.

The Demons are not done yet. There is speculation that they and GWS will eventually do business over draft pick 3 which the Giants are eyeing in order to shore up their capacity to secure leading Academy prospect Thomas Green.

The only other movement was a trade of picks involving the Brisbane Lions sending picks 46 and 91 to West Coast in exchange for picks 52 and 64.

The result of the day saw the usual suspects mulling over the same old sad stories. Joe Daniher, Brad Hill and Carlton and St Kilda’s aspirations for the players they are desperately seeking to secure - all scenarios waiting for next week.

DONE DEALS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5

• Brandon Ellis joins the Gold Coast Suns as a restricted free agent. Richmond receives a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #39).

• Cam Ellis-Yolmen joins Brisbane as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide receives a third-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #47).

MONDAY OCTOBER 7

• Adam Tomlinson joins Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent. GWS Giants receive a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #40).

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9

• Tim Kelly joins the West Coast Eagles for picks 14, 24 and 37 in this year’s draft as well as the Eagles’ first-round pick in the 2020 AFL draft. The Eagles receive pick 57 and Geelong’s third round pick in 2020.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 10

• St Kilda trade picks 6 and 59 to Greater Western Sydney and receive picks 12 and 18.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 11

• Sam Frost joins Hawthorn for pick 50 and the Hawks’ future second rounder in a deal where the Demons also gave up picks 42, 61 and their future fourth round selection.

• Ed Langdon joins Melbourne for picks 22 and 79 as well as the Demons’ future second round selection in a deal where Fremantle also gave up pick 26 and the Docker’s future fourth round pick.

• The West Coast Eagles trade picks 52 and 64 to the Brisbane Lions for 46 and 91.

Demonland · October 14, 2019

PART SEVEN - PLANESPOTTING

The day’s drama began at the break of day when the diminutive 32-year old crumber from the Crows, Eddie Betts, was spotted at Adelaide Airport wearing shades and a wide brimmed hat, furtively checking himself onto a Melbourne bound flight. A few hours later, the same player was spotted again - this time in Box Hill where he was undergoing a medical examination and later still, he shed the dark glasses and the hat, donned a #19 navy blue guernsey and, amid trumpets, fanfare and tear-filled eyes, became the first player of this year's Free Agency and Trade Period to join the Carlton Football Club. The Crows will get the Blues’ 2020 fourth rounder in return.

The Blues are all the rage at the moment with a conga line of players waiting behind Betts to be claimed over the next two days which promise a frenzy of activity as the trading period hour glass runs out of sand. Today, Hawthorn ruckman Marc Pittonet (who terrorised Casey in the 2018 VFL Grand Final, then disappeared) has been offered a two-year deal by Carlton and is set to join Tom Papley and Jack Martin. However, Ollie Wines is staying put at Port Adelaide after his management denied any recollection of discussing a possible trade to Carlton.

The Saints are working hard to cobble together trades for Brad Hill and their own conga line of incoming prospects while the Magpies are cleaning house with James Aish, Rupert Wills and Matt Scharenberg all set to depart if they can find suitors.

One player who isn't going anywhere is Gold Coast's Ben King who has re-committed with the Suns until the end of 2022. It's likely that he will be joined by Geelong ruckman Zac Smith who has already been there and done that at the Suns.

All of these mooted trades are hanging on a precipice waiting for the Bombers and Swans to come to terms over Joe Daniher. Heaven help us all if they can't lock a deal in by Wednesday night.

DONE DEALS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5

• Brandon Ellis joins the Gold Coast Suns as a restricted free agent. Richmond receives a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #39).

• Cam Ellis-Yolmen joins Brisbane as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide receives a third-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #47).

MONDAY OCTOBER 7

• Adam Tomlinson joins Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent. GWS Giants receive a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #40).

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9

• Tim Kelly joins the West Coast Eagles for picks 14, 24 and 37 in this year’s draft as well as the Eagles’ first-round pick in the 2020 AFL draft. The Eagles receive pick 57 and Geelong’s third round pick in 2020.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 10

• St Kilda trade picks 6 and 59 to Greater Western Sydney and receive picks 12 and18.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 11

• Sam Frost joins Hawthorn for pick 50 and the Hawks’ future second rounder in a deal where the Demons also gave up picks 42, 61 and their future fourth round selection.

• Ed Langdon joins Melbourne for picks 22 and 79 as well as the Demons’ future second round selection in a deal where Fremantle also gave up pick 26 and the Docker’s future fourth round pick.

• The West Coast Eagles trade picks 52 and 64 to the Brisbane Lions for 46 and 91.

MONDAY OCTOBER 14

• Eddie Betts rejoins the Blues after four years at the Crows in return for Carlton’s future fourth round pick.

Whispering_Jack · October 15, 2019

PART EIGHT - THE HOGAN EFFECT

If you were sitting with a group of Melbourne supporters at this exact time twelve months ago, it’s likely that the discussion would have centred around the imminent departure of Jesse Hogan to Fremantle.

You were mostly convinced he was emotionally invested in returning home to continue his struggle with his foot issues, the mental scars of his year from hell when he lost his father and was diagnosed with cancer and that it was a useless struggle to attempt to keep him at Melbourne for the final year of his contract given that he might be lost for nothing in a year’s time. You were comforted by the thought that the team often played better without him, pointing to the number of important games won in his absence - the ground breaking win at Kardinia Park in 2015, the one against Hawthorn a year later and the two recent Friday night finals at the MCG. So the rationale was that he wouldn’t be missed and when the ultimate deal effectively delivered Steven May, Kade Kolodjashnij and a draft pick, you were satisfied that it would all be for the better and the team would continue on the same forward trajectory it had been followed since Paul Roos took up the coaching role back at the end of 2013.

Well, that didn’t quite work out, did it? Steven May had a disjointed season and managed to eke out eight matches. Kolodjashnij, who was supposed to be clear of his concussion issues and expected to take a wing and fulfil an outside running role, was barely sighted on the field with just two appearances. And the key forwards upon who the club’s hopes rested and relied upon to maintain the high scoring of 2018 were hobbled by lack of form and then by injury.

The club missed Hogan badly - he used to take the opposition’s best defender and with his engine, size and talent was capable of going down the ground and generating attack from the middle of the ground. His departure was felt all over the ground - not just in goals - and, along with the team’s overall fitness and injury woes was one of the major lack of the contributors to its steep decline in 2019.

The way in which Melbourne fell from grace has defined how Josh Mahoney is going about reshaping his list in the trade and draft period. The club took aim firstly at its weaknesses on the outside by securing wingers Adam Tomlinson and Ed Langdon with a minimum of fuss. Today, it carried out a daring raid which netted draft pick 8 to add to pick 3 which it already holds. The Demons gave away next year’s first selection along with picks 26 and 50 but it now holds some big aces for the final day’s trading. Aces which might help snare a key position player and a crumbing forward to add to the arsenal.

Perhaps, by the close of proceedings tomorrow, the club will be better primed to return to where it was before Jesse Hogan departed.

Some other things happened today.

St Kilda landed two of their targets, bringing in Dougal Howard and Paddy Ryder for an exchange of picks with Port Adelaide. And Saints midfielder Blake Acres has flown to Perth to meet with the Dockers and could be a part of the Brad Hill trade tomorrow.

For the second year running, a former number one draft pick went to Hawthorn for bubkes (virtually nothing) when Jonathon Patton joined them from the Giants for the price of a future fourth-round draft pick.

The Giants picked up Adelaide’s Sam Jacobs from Adelaide, also for a future fourth-round draft selection and the Crows’ Hugh Greenwood has been traded to the Gold Coast Suns in exchange for Gold Coast's future third and fourth round selections in the 2020 AFL Draft.

Collingwood has brought in some ruck support for Brodie Grundy, trading for Sydney’s Darcy Cameron for pick 56, but they get back 62 for the one game ruckman.

In other news, the weather bureau predicts ...

DONE DEALS

SATURDAY OCTOBER 5

• Brandon Ellis joins the Gold Coast Suns as a restricted free agent. Richmond receives a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #39).

• Cam Ellis-Yolmen joins Brisbane as an unrestricted free agent. Adelaide receives a third-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #47).

MONDAY OCTOBER 7

• Adam Tomlinson joins Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent. GWS Giants receive a second-round draft pick as compensation (at the time, #40).

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9

• Tim Kelly joins the West Coast Eagles for picks 14, 24 and 37 in this year’s draft as well as the Eagles’ first-round pick in the 2020 AFL draft. The Eagles receive pick 57 and Geelong’s third round pick in 2020.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 10

• St Kilda trade picks 6 and 59 to Greater Western Sydney and receive picks 12 and 18.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 11

• Sam Frost joins Hawthorn for pick 50 and the Hawks’ future second rounder in a deal where the Demons also gave up picks 42, 61 and their future fourth round selection.

• Ed Langdon joins Melbourne for picks 22 and 79 as well as the Demons’ future second round selection in a deal where Fremantle also gave up pick 26 and the Docker’s future fourth round pick.

• The West Coast Eagles trade picks 52 and 64 to the Brisbane Lions for 46 and 91.

MONDAY OCTOBER 14

• Eddie Betts rejoins the Blues after four years at the Crows in return for Carlton’s future fourth round pick.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 15

• Melbourne trades picks 26, 50 and its future first round pick in return for North Melbourne’s pick 8.

• Paddy Ryder and Dougal Howard, pick 10 and a future fourth round pick move across to St Kilda while Port Adelaide receive picks 12, 18 and a future third-round pick.

• Jonathon Patton joins Hawthorn and the Giants get a future fourth round selection.

• Sam Jacobs is now a Giant and Adelaide gets a future fourth round selection.

• The Crows’ Hugh Greenwood goes to the Gold Coast Suns in exchange for their future third and fourth round picks.

• Billy Frampton joins Adelaide and Port Adelaide gets a future fourth round selection.

• Sydney’s Darcy Cameron and pick 62 are off to Collingwood in exchange for pick 56.

Demonland · October 16, 2019

PART NINE - DEADLINE DAY

We all know that the AFL was playing us for suckers - that the trade period finale was set up to match the glitz, glamour, intrigue and argy bargy of the media reality circus. Why else would they hold up some of the day’s trade announcements until 3.00pm and then leave the drama of the tough stuff to evening prime time television? We all knew most deals would be done and it was a matter of timing. Suck in the viewers and readers and let them bathe in expectation. Joe Daniher’s mind was fixed on moving north but perhaps his groins were never going to be worth picks 5 and 9.

As the clock struck half past seven in the evening, the following players had moved clubs on deadline day:-

Blake Acres (Fremantle), Callum Ah Chee (Brisbane), James Aish (Fremantle), Aiden Bonar (North Melbourne), Josh Bruce (Western Bulldogs), Dan Butler (St Kilda), Tom Cutler (Essendon), Bradley Hill (St Kilda), Josh Jenkins (Geelong), Zak Jones (St Kilda), Alex Keath (Western Bulldogs), Andrew Phillips (Essendon), Marc Pittonet (Carlton), Zac Smith (Gold Coast), Jack Steven (St Kilda) and Lewis Taylor (Sydney).

The trades that didn’t transpire were -

Joe Daniher remains a Bomber, Tom Papley remains in Sydney and, for the time being, Jack Martin stays a Suns’ player and Melbourne holds onto pick 3.

And there’s still six weeks to go to the draft.