The Winners & Losers Of AFL Trade Week

as seen on The Roar

It’s been an unusually busy AFL Trade Week this year, with big names like Brendon Fevola, Darren Jolly and Shaun Burgoyne all finding new homes. And with Friday’s deadline ending proceedings, it’s time to analyse who won and who lost in Trade Week.

Adelaide
Gains; did not trade
Losses; did not trade
Draft Picks; 13, 29, 45, 61, 77

The Crows opted to stay away from the trade table this week and perhaps that was a wise call by Neil Craig’s men who have their key positions sorted and with a few veterans near the end, keeping their draft picks is important.

Brisbane Lions
Gains; Brendon Fevola, Andrew Raines, Brent Staker, Amon Buchanan, Xavier Clarke, picks 27, 47
Losses; Bradd Dalziell, Lachlan Henderson, picks 12, 28, 44, 60
Draft Picks; 27, 47, 76

Michael Voss has proven himself to be quite the dealer this week and it seems he’s ready to offer second-chances to footballers.

But getting Brendon Fevola is perhaps the deal of the week, especially considering what it cost the Lions after Daniel Bradshaw and Michael Rischitelli had been up for offer. Indeed, in the short-term the Lions have lost little and gained a lot.

Carlton
Gains; Brock McLean, Lachlan Henderson, pick 12
Losses; Brendon Fevola, picks 11, 27
Draft Picks; 12, 43, 59, 75

Despite all the controversy he brings, Brendon Fevola’s departure means Carlton have lost the Coleman Medallist and that’s a huge blow. And the Blues didn’t cash in on the deal to trade Fevola north. That too is a blow.

Adding McLean is handy and after a few injury interrupted seasons perhaps this is the move he needs. But the Blues have lost a few draft picks as well as Fevola, so it hasn’t been a great week at the trade table for Carlton.

Collingwood
Gains; Darren Jolly
Losses; picks 14, 46
Draft Picks; 30, 62, 78

The Pies got their man, with Darren Jolly heading back to Victoria to bolster Collingwood’s dodgy ruck stocks although they missed out on St Kilda’s Luke Ball, who may still join via the pre-season draft.

The Jolly deal cost the Maggies first and third round selections but they believe they’ve got a very young list already and that their premiership window will soon be open. Indeed, the Pies have done well.

Essendon
Gains; Mark Williams, picks 24, 33, 97
Losses; Andrew Lovett, Jay Nash, pick 42
Draft Picks; 10, 24, 26, 33, 58, 74, 97

Bombers coach Matthew Knights is delighted with Essendon’s trade week with a couple of good draft picks added alongside a handy forward in Mark Williams.

Once upon a time, Williams was the main man in Hawthorn’s forward-line, so perhaps this is a great move for him and the Bombers.

Fremantle
Gains; picks 48, 49
Losses; Brett Peake, Marcus Drum
Draft Picks; 4, 20, 36, 48, 49, 52, 68

The Dockers have a history of poor trades so they wisely kept to themselves this time round, allowing a few out-of-favour players to move on. They did also keep born-again key position player Chris Tarrant. They haven’t done too badly.

Geelong
Gains; Marcus Drum, picks 28, 40, 42, 56
Losses; Shane Mumford, picks 33, 49, 97
Draft Picks; 17, 28, 40, 42, 56, 65, 81

The Cats got involved in the confusing four-way Burgoyne-to-Hawthorn deal and by doing so improved their draft choices. They’ve also hung onto all of their premiership players too, signaling some good work by Geelong.

Hawthorn
Gains; Shaun Burgoyne, Josh Gibson, picks 39, 46, 69, 70
Losses; Mark Williams, Ben McGlynn, Josh P. Kennedy, picks 9, 25, 41
Draft Picks; 39, 46, 57, 69, 70, 73

The lessons of 2009 have been learned and Hawthorn are determined not to waste anymore time with the clock ticking on their premiership window. Adding key defender Josh Gibson and classy 26-year-old midfielder Shaun Burgoyne represents great business in the short-term.

And while they’ll be the last club to enter this year’s draft, it seems they’re more worried about short-term matters. They had their targets and landed them both, they’ve done well.

Melbourne
Gains; pick 11
Losses; Brock McLean
Draft Picks; 1, 2, 11, 18, 34, 50, 66

The Demons will go into the 2009 AFL Draft with three of the first 11 picks. That’s all that matters for the re-building, young Melbourne list. Retaining those draft picks and adding another via Brock McLean’s trade (which probably favoured the Dees) is good business.

North Melbourne
Gains; picks 25, 41
Losses; Josh Gibson, pick 69
Draft Picks; 5, 21, 25, 37, 41, 53

The Kangas’ ability to bargain was compromised when Josh Gibson admitted he wanted out of the club and Hawthorn was to be his destination. North wanted a first-round pick for Gibson and didn’t get it. They’ll still go into the draft with 3 picks inside the first 25, but they may have got better.

Port Adelaide
Gains; Jay Schulz, Jay Nash, picks 9, 16
Losses; Shaun Burgoyne, Mitch Farmer, pick 24, 40, 56, 72
Draft Picks; 8, 9 ,16

When Shaun Burgoyne nominated Hawthorn as his club of choice, it left Port in an awkward position on the trade table. In the end, snaring picks 9 and 16 out of it was a pretty decent return.

Interestingly, Mark Williams’ Power will go into this year’s draft with only 3 picks, all in the first-round.

Richmond
Gains; Mitch Farmer, picks 44, 72
Losses; Andrew Raines, Jay Schulz
Draft Picks; 3, 19, 35, 44, 51, 67, 72

The Tigers’ trade week was neither poor nor great. Perhaps having come second-last in 2009, they could’ve been aggressive in adding high draft picks but instead their only changes were a few fringe players.

St Kilda
Gains; Andrew Lovett, Brett Peake, pick 60
Losses; Xavier Clarke, picks 16, 48
Draft Picks; 32, 60, 64, 80

Ross Lyon’s additions obviously represent quick players who offer plenty of run and carry, but with ball-winner Luke Ball desperate to leave it was an interesting policy for the Saints to go with. They wanted Tyson Goldsack in the Ball to Collingwood deal but they couldn’t make it work and Ball may still leave. The Saints could’ve done better.

Sydney
Gains; Mark Seaby, Shane Mumford, Ben McGlynn, Josh P. Kennedy, pick 14
Losses; Amon Buchanan, Barry Hall, Darren Jolly, picks 22, 47, 70
Draft Picks; 6, 14, 38, 54

With ruckman Darren Jolly off to Collingwood, the Swans wanted bigmen and they got two in Mark Seaby and Shane Mumford. Jolly leaves big shoes to fill (pardon the pun) and it’s hard to see either of these two doing so immediately.

But the Swans are re-building and have added a first-round draft pick as well as some handy players so they’ve done okay.

West Coast
Gains; Bradd Dalziell, pick 22
Losses; Mark Seaby, Brent Staker, pick 39
Draft Picks; 7, 22, 23, 55, 71

The Eagles have allowed some deadwood to move on and in return have done quite well. Pick 22 and young local ball-magnet Bradd Dalziell are good additions for a West Coast side still focusing on youth. It was reported they were after a small forward but nothing materialized.

Western Bulldogs
Gains; Barry Hall
Losses; pick 47
Draft Picks; 15, 31, 63, 79

The Dogs had one thing on their mind at trade week. Barry Hall. With Hall always leaving the Swans, it was a pretty simple deal for the Bullies.

Hall, though, offers no promises and hasn’t been at his best for the last few years but he will add another dimension up forward which could prove critical. The Dogs also re-signed Brad Johnson and Brian Lake during trade week and that tops off a pretty good week at Footscray.