THE TRADING CHRONICLES Part 03 by The Oracle

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Part Three - HIGH ANXIETY 

The weekend that sits in the days before the end of the AFL’s trade period is often looked upon as being the perfect calm before the storm. We’ve seen the free agency period come and go in unspectacular fashion with relatively few players changing clubs and the trades thus far have similarly made very few waves. In fact, they’ve caused barely a ripple although the various media have been full of speculation about who might eventually trade places.

As usual, the really big trades are still to be finalized and it’s likely there will be some tension and anxiety surrounding them before the clock ticks past 7.30pm this coming Wednesday to signal the official end of the AFL Trade Period. 

The stand offs as to the value of Luke Jackson and Brodie Grundy continue and Toby Bedford’s deal remains in limbo but the draft experts keep assuring us that their trades will be finalized in the coming days.

Aside from the trades involving Melbourne, the Jason Horne-Francis and Josh Dunkley moves have created the most consternation, the Gold Coast salary dump and gifting of Draft Pick 7 and Jack Bowes is apparently waiting on a direction or blessing from the AFL hierarchy. The Izak Rankine and Ollie Henry deals will get done as the clubs involved will eventually see sense. There will no doubt be a few more pick swaps and other player movements in play and even a surprise or two before it’s all over.

It’s worth remembering that the trade period is part of a process that deals with the end of careers for players and in some cases, a change in the direction of their careers. And, of course, with so much emphasis on draft picks during the period, it’s also about the start of many playing careers in the AFL.

To this end, Monday morning will also see the opening of nominations for the AFL National Draft to be held over two nights on 28 and 29 November with the Preseason and Rookie Drafts to follow.

The vibe I’m receiving around the coming draft is that beyond the first couple of picks, it’s an even field right into the teens up to the end of the first round. If that’s the case, then some of the decisions about to be made surrounding the contentious trades might not necessarily be the cause of too much anxiety in the end.

The current state of play -

FREE AGENCY



FRIDAY (Unrestricted)

Karl Amon (Port Adelaide) to Hawthorn. The Power receive a Round Two selection (currently No. 27) in the 2022 NAB AFL Draft.

MONDAY (Unrestricted)

Jayden Hunt (Melbourne) to West Coast. The Demons receive a Round Three selection (currently No. 52) in the 2022 NAB AFL Draft.

TUESDAY (Unrestricted)

Daniel McStay (Brisbane) to Collingwood. The Lions receive a Round Two selection (currently No. 35) in the 2022 NAB AFL Draft.

Liam Jones (Carlton) to Western Bulldogs. The Blues receive a Round Three selection (currently No. 49) in the 2022 NAB AFL Draft.

WEDNESDAY (Unrestricted)

Zaine Cordy (Western Bulldogs) to St Kilda. No compensation pick

TRADES

MONDAY 

Bobby Hill (GWS Giants) and pick 40 to Collingwood in exchange for pick 43 
and a future second-round selection

Tim Taranto (GWS Giants) to Richmond in exchange for picks 12 and 19

TUESDAY

Blake Acres (Fremantle) to Carlton in exchange for a future third-round selection

Melbourne trades picks 33, 43 and 53 to Port Adelaide for pick 27

WEDNESDAY 

Griffin Logue (Fremantle), Darcy Tucker (Fremantle) and Fremantle’s future third-round pick to North Melbourne in exchange for the Kangaroos’ future second, third and fourth round pick

GWS Giants trade pick 21 and a future second round pick to Brisbane for pick 15

Ben Long (St Kilda) and a future fourth round pick to Gold Coast for pick 32

Tom Berry (Brisbane), pick 46 and a future second round two pick to Gold Coast for picks 25, 36 and 56

THURSDAY 



Josh Corbett (Gold Coast Suns) to Fremantle for the Dockers’ future fourth round pick 

FRIDAY 

Tanner Bruhn (Brisbane) to Geelong for the Cats’ pick 18 

Brisbane trades pick 25 to The Cats for picks 38,48, 55 and a future second round a future fourth round pick