A year after the quietest trade period for a decade, this year’s player movement period burst into life, led by a mega-trade involving four clubs, with Jason Horne-Francis as the centrepiece. There were also other high-profile deals, including Brodie Grundy and Luke Jackson. Here’s how the trades unfolded.
We say: This was one of the biggest trades in VFL/AFL history. Horne-Francis had a tumultuous rookie season at Arden St, so it was no surprise the forward-midfielder ultimately sought a trade home. He has family history at Alberton, and there are now no excuses for the former No.1 draft pick. The Eagles, meanwhile, were disappointed Rioli wanted to leave, considering how they had nursed him through his two-year ban for tampering with a urine sample. Rioli wanted to be closer to family in South Australia, and gives the Power more forward class. The Giants, meanwhile, have successfully “traded up” to land the No.1 pick, which they intend to invest in Aaron Cadman, a key forward they hope can become the new Jeremy Cameron. The rebuilding Kangaroos have picks two and three in next month’s draft, and two first-round selections next season (their own and Port Adelaide’s) in what all recruiters say is a stronger draft than this year.
We say: The Dockers have pursued Jackson for some time, meeting with him mid-season. The Perth native was keen to return home, and he will now be a formidable ruck pairing – and marking forward – with Sean Darcy. “As the season started to go on, I had a bit of a feeling it would land at Freo. I just wanted to get it done in the end. I’m happy it’s done,” Jackson said. The Demons have also set themselves up nicely in this year’s and next year’s draft. Having received pick 44 from GWS for Toby Bedford and passed it on to Freo, they have turned the Jackson trade to their advantage with a strong draft hand; they have three first-round picks across the next two drafts and two second-rounders next season.
We say: The Demons pivoted to Grundy when it became clear Jackson was heading to the Dockers. Grundy, an All-Australian in 2018 and ’19 and a two-time Copeland Trophy winner, is a major upgrade in the ruck, and a steal in exchange for pick 27, but it remains to be seen whether he can push forward and have an impact. For the Magpies, this was a salary dump, for Grundy still has five years remaining on a deal worth about $1 million per season. When he signed the seven-year deal contract in 2020, Grundy had hoped to be a Magpie for life, but admitted it became clear to him when he sat down with the club in recent times “the dream could no longer become a reality”.
We say: Josh Schache is at his third club just seven seasons after being pick No.2 in the 2015 national draft, joining Melbourne to add depth to their makeshift forward line after Sam Weideman joined Essendon and Mitch Brown retired. He played well in a variety of roles at the Bulldogs after leaving the Brisbane Lions and was part of their grand final team against the Demons in 2020. He is a diligent footballer, and hence three clubs trying their luck with him, but this is his last chance to make a significant dent on the football landscape after 72 games. As soon as Weideman said he wanted out the Demons targeted Schache.
We say: Has not developed as hoped after appearing to come of age in the 2018 finals series with two big performances in that year’s elimination and semi-finals. He has been in and out of the side since and never cemented a spot. His marking and kicking ability is without question but he has not displayed enough intensity when the ball hits the ground. However, a fresh start at Essendon is worth a punt from both club and player as he will complement Peter Wright and give the Bombers an extra target up forward. Top 10 picks always get a second chance and this is Weideman’s.
We say: The third of the three top-10 picks from the 2015 national draft to move clubs with Aaron Francis recruited to Sydney to fill a specific need as an intercept marking defender. He has shown glimpses of his talent in 54 games at the Bombers since they used pick No.6 on him in 2015. He will benefit from being in the Swans program and is likely to enjoy the relative anonymity of being in a non-traditional football state. There is upside to Francis, and he could play in big finals in his first year at his new club.
We say: The hard-at-it midfielder, like Tim Taranto, heads to Punt Road on a seven-year contract. The deal involved the Tigers’ future first-round pick and pick No.31 in this draft (but not ruckman Ivan Soldo), with Hopper and late Giants picks (No.53 and 63) going back to the Tigers. Having finished third in the Giants’ best and fairest last year, Hopper managed only seven games this season, his campaign impacted by knee surgery. He will add grunt and tackling pressure to what already is a strong Tigers on-ball brigade.
We say: Rankine, 22, was another player who wanted to return home, and he gives the Crows a point of difference up forward. The Crows made him their No.1 play, offering him a five-year, $4 million deal. He will also have bursts in the midfield. “I’m just excited to get back here and play footy in front of my family and all my friends. Footy will take care of itself as long as I’m having fun,” Rankine said. The trade was also a win for the Suns, for they needed to clear salary cap space.
We say: The Magpies believe the former Crow and Power utility will be an important piece in their system-based defence. He can also help in the ruck. “The Pies are building something great and under the guidance of Craig McRae, I’m really looking forward to playing a role at Collingwood,” Frampton said. He played six games for the Crows in 2022 for a total of 21 across three seasons, having played three games across five seasons with Port Adelaide.
We say: The Giants needed a replacement for Bobby Hill, and cover for Toby Greene. Bedford struggled to win a senior berth with the Demons – he was the medical substitute 10 times this season. He now hopes for a regular game, and believes he can have an impact with his speed and goal nous.
We say: The Hawks are in a deep rebuild, and Gunston hopes for another premiership tilt – this is now a firm reality with the Lions. Having recovered from major back issues in 2021, Gunston is an upgrade on Daniel McStay, who went to the Magpies as a free agent, in terms of being a gold-plated forward. Opposition defences will have a tough time trying to curb Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood, Cam Rayner and now Gunston. The latter played 14 games with Adelaide before joining the Hawks in 2012 where he played 211 matches.
We say: A big-bodied midfielder, Setterfield could not win a regular berth at the Blues, battling Patrick Cripps, Matt Kennedy and George Hewett for an inside-mid role. The Bombers have sought help in this area for years, and now have the man they hope can bring their talented running brigade into the game, all for a nondescript late pick. Setterfield barracked for the Bombers as a kid.
We say: The Geelong Falcons product – his father Matt was also a Falcon – wanted to return home. Who could forget his expression on draft day 2020 when he was taken by the Giants? He played 30 AFL games at GWS, including 17 this year, and will add class inside attacking 50. “I’ve sort of had to pinch myself a little bit,” he said upon joining the Cats. “They’ve been so successful for a long period of time and I just can’t wait to join the club.”
We say: The Saints had hoped Long would be a part of their long-term future, but the Suns came calling mid-year. He played a career-high 19 games this season in a variety of roles, but hopes to become a settled defender at Metricon Stadium.
We say: Berry has struggled for opportunity at the Lions, having played 20 games across four seasons, with only three this year. The younger brother of Lions star Jarrod, the Brisbane Lions had offered him a contract extension, but the Suns have offered him the chance to play more.
We say: The Blues were keen to upgrade their wingmen, and Acres – also a former Saint – fills that role. Lochie O’Brien will probably begin on the opposite wing. Now 120 games into his AFL career, the Blues believe his best football is still to come. He heads to Carlton on a three-year deal, and is bullish that the Blues will end their decade-long finals drought.
We say: The off-contract midfielder nominated Richmond as his club of choice. Little wonder, considering he has been given a seven-year contract. Taranto has played 114 AFL games since making his debut in 2017. He averaged more than 25 disposals and five tackles per game this season. The Giants, seeking to reload in a new era under new coach Adam Kingsley, now have four picks inside the top 20 in the national draft. “We’re looking forward to adding to our strong core of players under new coach Adam Kingsley to return to the continued success we’ve had in the past,” Giants list boss Jason McCartney said.
We say: It was second time lucky for the former Giant, who had wanted to head to Victoria last year and join Essendon – that deal was unable to be confirmed. He played the first 11 games of 2022 before being diagnosed with testicular cancer. The clever small forward now heads to the Magpies, and is keen to have an immediate impact.
We say: This is a classic salary dump. See our glossary of trade lingo here to find out what that’s all about. It’s also a controversial trade because it illustrates how the expansion clubs are at a disadvantage. The Suns needed to shed dollars from their salary cap and delivered midfielder Bowes, 24, and pick No.7 to the Cats. Bowes has two years remaining on his heavily back-ended five-year contract, the Cats now expected to stretch this out. Bowes managed 83 games in six seasons with the Suns, and was recommended to the Cats by Gary Ablett jnr. It gives the reigning premiers their highest draft pick in 16 years, when they selected Joel Selwood at pick seven. That worked out extremely well.
Lachie Hunter trade
We say: The premiership Bulldog had two years left on his deal but was keen to explore the possibility of making a fresh start after an unsettled three years since his indiscretion at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The former Bulldogs vice captain will have his old club pay part of his wage at the Demons which is a good result for Melbourne as he is a hard-running wingman who could play the same role as Ed Langdon. The Demons gave up a future third round, making the deal simple. The club did their due diligence and consulted their leadership group before taking the plunge in the hope a fresh start can refresh him.
We say: Just two years after Collingwood decided to use pick 17 to select Henry, he decided he wanted to play alongside his brother at Geelong. The Magpies held out until they could hold out no longer, rather than watching him walk into the national draft, finally accepting Tom Mitchell and pick 25 for Henry in a three-way trade. It’s a disappointing result for the Magpies as he leaves after just 25 games but a good result for the reigning premiers who have now regained two of the players (Bruhn and Henry) they may have drafted in 2020 before being forced to give up three selections in the teens to secure Jeremy Cameron. Henry, who in the end cost the Cats Cooper Stephens and pick 25, will thrive at Geelong.
Stephens deserves to play senior football and is a rugged, sometimes untidy, but willing big-bodied midfielder. Once he feels at home in the AFL he will excel, with the Hawks giving up Mitchell to get Stephens, picks 41 and 50.
Collingwood wanted Mitchell to free up midfield runners Jack Crisp, Jordan De Goey, Scott Pendlebury and Nick Daicos once they realised Grundy was off to Melbourne. Mitchell’s stocks have fallen since he won the Brownlow but no one doubts his ability to win the ball and feed it off to outside players. He will improve Collingwood’s weakness at centre clearances in 2022. Graham Wright is convinced he can co-exist with another midfield bull in Taylor Adams.
Collingwood were keen to land Mitchell to free up their midfield runners in Jack Crisp, Jordan De Goey, Scott Pendlebury and Nick Daicos once they realised Grundy had agreed to join Melbourne. Mitchell’s stocks have fallen since he won the Brownlow Medal but no one doubts his ability to win the ball and feed it off to outside players. He will improve Collingwood’s obvious weakness at centre clearances in 2022 and Graham Wright is convinced he can co-exist with another midfield bull in Taylor Adams. Mitchell arrived with pick 25 in exchange for Henry, picks 41 and 50.
We say: It was the biggest stand-off of the trade period with the Bulldogs annoyed that the Lions traded out pick 15 to accumulate points for the two father-sons, Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher, heading their way when they thought an acceptable deal in pick 15 and a future first-round pick was there for the taking. The threats to put him through the pre-season draft arrived in predictable fashion but, almost as predictably, failed to materialise when the deadline loomed. The Bulldogs eventually got the Lions to “pony up”, as Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge had demanded, exchanging their reigning best-and-fairest winner and two future third-round picks (their own and one tied to Geelong) for pick 21, a future first and second and a future fourth tied to Geelong.
We say: Fremantle said after they lost Griffin Logue and Darcy Tucker that they didn’t want to lose Lobb but in the end once Jackson came in, and more importantly as Jaeger O’Meara became a viable trade target, the Dockers became more open to the move. By trading Lobb out for pick 30 and a future second-round pick the Dockers had an important pick in hand to be able to do the O’Meara trade. Getting a future second in enabled them to trade that out for O’Meara.
We say: One minute you are the best man at your mate’s wedding in Sydney, next minute you are being traded from Victoria to your home state to play for Fremantle. That’s the remarkable turn of events that led to Hawks midfielder O’Meara lining up for the Dockers in 2023. With one year remaining on his contract and the Hawks open to trades, the Giants enquired about O’Meara after discussions over a possible trade ramped up at Giants co-captain Stephen Coniglio’s wedding. The Dockers heard they were a chance and jumped on board with the deal quickly consummated on Wednesday when O’Meara was traded to the Dockers for their ruckman Lloyd Meek and a future second round selection.
Meek, a Victorian-born ruckman, was keen to find another club after Jackson arrived at the Dockers, putting the 24-year-old further away from a regular spot with Darcy the No.1 ruck. He settled on the Hawks who have landed a good player after slotting him into the deal for O’Meara, with the Hawks also gaining a future second-round pick.
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