AFL 25: Jon Ralph ranks the biggest 25 trade and free agency moves of the century so far

When the big names move clubs, it tips the AFL world on its head. JON RALPH picks out the 25 biggest trade and free agency moves of the 21st century. See the full list and have your say.

It takes a lot to shake the foundations of the AFL.

Ben Cousins is capable.

So is Brendan Fevola.

When those players move clubs it tips the AFL world on its head.

Richmond’s move to sign Cousins came with huge risks attached given his off-field issues and yet for all the turbulence the club survived unscathed.

Fevola didn’t bring down Brisbane when he left Carlton in a hail of controversy but he came close.

We will leave it to Fevola to describe the extent of a gambling addiction so great he lost $365,000 in one day: “I did it. I earned millions. Millions. And I lost it all because I was a bogan”.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL LIST AND HAVE YOUR SAY

Ben Cousins during his first training run with Richmond at Punt Road Oval.

Brendan Fevola was shipped out of Carlton in 2009.

Despite that affliction the Lions signed him on a three-year deal that lasted only a season as he found himself in the New Farm Clinic for 70 days, sacked by coach Michael Voss during that period.

And yet across the past 25 seasons so many of the AFL’s biggest trades and free agency moves have paid off their risk in spades.

Geelong’s move to trade three first-rounders for Jeremy Cameron ended with the star forward miming ripping the top off a cold beer as Geelong ended a stretch of near misses with the 2022 premiership.

Alongside him was Patrick Dangerfield, another restricted free agent who the Cats had to trade for after his club threatened to match any Geelong deal.

So here are the 25 biggest trades, free agency and player movement deals in footy since 2000.

Originally published as AFL 25: Jon Ralph ranks the biggest 25 trade and free agency moves of the century so far