Wreck it Ralph: The nine best-value acquisitions in the AFL in 2021
Geelong knew Lachie Fogarty was good. But did they know he could be this good? Jon Ralph names the top nine recruits of the year.
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Adam Saad’s greatest characteristic at Essendon was his ability to switch from surging ball-winner to miserly lockdown defender at the click of his coach’s fingers.
In the era of freewheeling half-backs he was the epitome of a dual threat.
Former St Kilda small forward Nick Hind has stepped quickly into his shoes, charging off half-back for the Bombers this year to become an offensive revelation.
Like Saad before him, he is getting the job done while doing what backmen are employed to do: actually defend.
As Champion Data notes, Hind hasn’t conceded a goal to his main opponent this year including Dylan Moore, Luke Breust, Orazio Fantasia, Dan Butler and Jack Lonie.
They are among the most dangerous smalls in footy, and he’s given them nothing.
Considering that Geelong gave up three first-rounders for Jeremy Cameron and likely won’t see him until Round 5 given hamstring issues, here are the top nine bang-for-bucks trades so far this season, and Hind isn’t far behind a big-name Swan.
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1. Tom Hickey (Sydney)
The problem with Hickey at times through his career was he would give you touches around the ground but not the pure tap-work of his elite compatriots.
Three rounds into the AFL season, he is doing it all.
Hickey has four goals to his name this year after being able to charge forward on opponents such as Richmond’s Toby Nankervis.
He is winning seven hitout to advantage a game, he is averaging 16 touches and he has won 14 clearances.
The Swans lost clearances by just two in their win against Brisbane then won the clearances 41-28 and 31-25 in the past two weeks.
The trade with West Coast was particularly complicated — West Coast gave up Hickey, picks 34 and 60 for picks 58, 62, a future second-rounder and future third-rounder.
What is cut-and-dried is that Hickey is basking in his moment in the sun.
2. Nick Hind (Essendon)
Essendon effectively got him for nothing. They handed over pick 67 and pushed back their No.74 pick to 77.
You have to love his industry and sense of urgency.
He charges forward at every opportunity and if his teammates don’t know exactly what he is going to do, neither does the opposition.
It is a contagious risk-taking energy.
Billy Beane’s Moneyball strategy saw him trading out megastar Jason Giambi then handing his low-profile brother Jeremy a larger role.
Essendon was shattered to lose Saad. But they secured picks 8 and 87 for their former half back (and gave back 48 and 78), turning pick 10 into Zac Reid.
Hind is averaging 422 metres gained, 87 ranking points, 6.3 rebound 50s and kicking at 70 per cent.
Hind’s switch into defence is a canny piece of repurposing from recruiter Adrian Dodoro and coach Ben Rutten.
3. Lachie Fogarty (Carlton)
The Fogarty bandwagon was full to overflowing on Sunday night.
Fair enough too after this stat-line against Fremantle: 163 ranking points, 25 touches (nine contested), seven marks, four score assists, eight score involvements, seven tackles, one goal, three clearances, two centre square clearances, 444 metres gained.
It was the third straight game with excellent pressure, smart decision-making and the kind of football that makes your teammates better.
He is now averaging 111 ranking points after Carlton gave away only pick 51 and pushed back their No.30 pick to Geelong’s No.38.
Geelong knew he was good after 15 games in his debut season but let him go after eight games in the past two years.
The question is whether the former No.22 pick, entering his prime after turning 22 last week, can actually hurt them for a decade to come?
4. Aliir Aliir (Port Adelaide)
Why didn’t Sydney hold Aliir Aliir and still find a way to secure Tom Hickey?
Simple answer: they didn’t have the cap space.
As it turns out, Sydney is doing fine with Tom McCartin and Dane Rampe taking the king pins without Aliir.
The Power got Aliir for a 2021 second-round pick and he has plucked nine, seven and eight intercept possessions in three games, even standing up against West Coast.
Orazio Fantasia has also come out all-guns-blazing but given the Power used second and third-rounders to secure him he doesn’t really classify as a value pick.
5. Isaac Smith (Geelong)
He might be high-profile but Smith was a 31-year-old free agent, and Hawthorn secured a third-round pick (46) only as compensation.
He kicked the matchwinner against Brisbane and had 21 and 26 possessions in his first two games — although at only 57 per cent efficiency — before another strong showing against Hawthorn.
If the Cats can get 35 mostly excellent games out of Smith, now 32, it will take them a long way to that elusive premiership.
6. Stefan Martin (Western Bulldogs)
If we are fair, he has been quieter since his breakout contest against Brodie Grundy, with 35 ranking points against Nic Naitanui and 48 against Todd Goldstein.
But he allows Tim English to become a key forward.
English has kicked a goal in every game and three against the hapless Roos, averaging 4.3 score involvements and eight contested marks.
Why didn’t Martin even get offered a deal at Brisbane?
Because they believed Oscar McInerney and Archie Smith were ready to take up the cudgels and Martin had endured an injury-ravaged 2020. Now both are injured and he’s releasing English in the best way possible.
7. Tom Phillips (Hawthorn)
Phillips won’t break games apart with brilliance nor will he hit up teammates laces out like Braeden Campbell.
But he delivers as advertised on the tin — a hard-running wingman who racks it up in a team now without Tom Scully. In Round 1 against Hawthorn he knocked up with 21 touches at 90 per cent efficiency before a quieter Round 2 against Richmond. For the grand price of pick 65 and some salary cap relief the Pies moved on a quietly effective player.
8. Oleg Markov (Gold Coast)
A steak-knives deal given he was acquired with a future third-rounder that the Suns would never have used.
He is averaging 333 metres off half back, he’s kicking the ball well (74 per cent), and he is yet another ex-Tiger who has prospered at a rival club.
9. Peter Wright (Essendon)
“Two-metre Peter” is by no means a superstar.
But when every other Essendon ruckman had fallen over all that coach Ben Rutten needed against St Kilda on Saturday afternoon was for him to step up and compete — and that’s exactly what he did.
He is averaging 14 possessions, 7.3 contested possessions, 6.3 score involvements and while he’s kicked only one goal, it’s all for a future fourth-round draft pick.
Originally published as Wreck it Ralph: The nine best-value acquisitions in the AFL in 2021
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