The silly season is here.
The AFL Trade Period begins today, with 17 other clubs beginning their chase of Collingwood, and quest to improve their list in a bid to build to the ultimate glory.
Some clubs will be busier than others, yet some clubs hold the keys to shaping what the next 10 days of dealing, and the upcoming national draft looks like.
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Last year it was the Pies who arguably shaped the trade period, with a targeted approach to improve the depth on their list, and were busy right down to the final minutes as the deadline ticked nearer. It helped provide them with the ultimate success as they went on to lift the cup with all of their off-season recruits playing key riles in the triumph.
So who will it be this year?
Foxfooty.com.au has analysed the six clubs that are set to shape the trade period with their to- do lists over the next two weeks.
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PORT ADELAIDE
List boss Jason Cripps will be kept busy all the way through the trade period as he looks to broker deals to bring tall trio Esava Ratugolea, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Jordon Sweet, all whom have requested trades from their respective clubs to Alberton Oval. The challenge for the Power will be their current draft hand and not having much capital to play with to satisfy other clubs, with their earliest draft pick this year being pick 38 then 44 & 71 to round out their hand. It’s a late starting position which will see them have to get creative to get all their deals done. Young midfielder Xavier Duursma is poised to formally request a move to Essendon which could unlock the move to bring Zerk-Thatcher home with minimal draft selections changing hands.
ESSENDON
As Adrian Dodoro prepares for his final trade period in charge of Essendon’s list, it’s fitting that the shopping list is long and should see him busy. But much of the Bombers’ work could be done nice and early with their free agent signings Ben McKay and Todd Goldstein set to go through without Essendon needing to give anything in return, though North Melbourne could match the McKay offer if it doesn’t give them the compensation they want. St Kilda’s Jade Gresham is also tipped to nominate Essendon as his new home as a free agent, with the Bombers and the Saints working on a crafty deal which would send midfielder Dylan Shiel to Moorabbin, partially in a salary dump. The Bombers will deal running defender Massimo D’Ambrosio to Hawthorn with minimal fuss, but will drive a harder bargain with Port Adelaide over Brandon Zerk-Thatcher which could have wingman Xavier Duursma coming the other way as part of the deal.
NORTH MELBOURNE
All eyes will be on the Kangaroos over the next ten days, with the club, and rivals firmly fixated on their draft hand. While the Roos are set upon improving their list – and will do so via the acquisitions of Dylan Stephens and Zac Fisher through the trade period – the question for the Roos is how they manage their suite of picks. The AFL last month granted North Melbourne a draft assistance package which includes an end of first-round pick this year and multiple end of first-round selections next year. It is also expected that the Roos will get an additional first-round pick this year in the form of pick three, as compensation for losing Ben McKay as a restricted free agent to Essendon. With a growing core of youngsters already on the list, the Roos are among the clubs who could trade up to West Coast‘s first selection (pick 1) and get Harley Reid. Those assistance picks could also be traded out because at some point, the Kangaroos don’t need all of them, and consolidating them into either mature players or a higher selection (like in a potential Reid deal) would make sense. To put it simply, the Roos just have a lot of options.
SYDNEY
The Swans are set to be one of the most bold and aggressive clubs this trade period as they heavily replenish their list. Sydney has already secured Melbourne winger James Jordon via free agency, with his Demons teammate Brodie Grundy set to follow him to the Swans after he was frozen out of the Demons’ side and plans. While it looks likely that Grundy will land at the Swans pretty easily, how the deal shapes up will be an interesting watch of how it comes together and as such, could drag on throughout the period. The Swans’ hope of adding to their struggling engine room with interest in multiple inside players. Magpies vice-captain Taylor Adams has emerged as a shock trade option to return to the harbour city, while they held some interest in Paddy Dow before he nominated St Kilda. The Swans have already brought in Dockers defender Joel Hamling to his fourth club, adding at the very least depth and potentially a first-choice backman on the cheap. The Swans will also hold fire before dealing winger Dylan Stephens to the Kangaroos without a fair deal.
WEST COAST
The Eagles’ activity over the trade period will be fascinating. The lingering discussion all year has been what will the Eagles do with pick one. Should they have it (which they currently do), will they definitely take Harley Reid? Or will they, as they did last year, look to split their early pick to bring more young talent onto the list and speed up their rebuild? List manager Rohan O‘Brien told AFL Trade Radio on Tuesday that the club will “listen to offers” should they come for the prized pick 1 in the national draft but insist it would take something ”special” to tempt the Eagles from trading the selection. North Melbourne shapes as the leading contender primarily because it has pick 2 and, likely soon, pick 3 as well – so West Coast wouldn’t need to slide too far down the order if they accept that offer. Elsewhere, the Eagles have added ruckman Matt Flynn as a free agent signing and will work with Hawthorn over a trade for small forward Tyler Brockman, two cheap moves that could pay dividends.
GOLD COAST
Gold Coast are heading into the Trade Period as this year’s auctioneers. They have a really early draft selection they don’t need and have a queue of clubs lining up to present their best offer for it. The Suns, currently armed with pick 4, are looking to part with the selection in order to exchange it for later picks and points to secure academy trio Jed Walter, Ethan Read and Jake Rogers– all touted to be first round selections on draft night. Where the Suns slide back to doesn’t necessarily impact them, but their deal for their pick will impact other clubs currently holding selections in the top 10. Along with the Kangaroos’ free agency compensation, we’ll see first round selections change hands multiple times and picks could slide back quite a distance. The Suns have also been on the record saying they will assist in facilitating trades for Mabior Chol and Elijah Hollands as another mechanism to get picks in to use on their academy stars.
