The biggest winners, deals and shocks of the 2019 AFL trade period
Are the past 10 days all just a blur? Catch up on the winners and losers, the biggest shocks, steals and who missed out. Here’s everything you need to know from the 2019 AFL trade period.
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After 10 days of wheeling, dealing, posturing and brinkmanship the 2019 exchange period ended with a mad rush to today’s trade deadline — and not everyone made it.
Here’s a quick catch-up on the biggest moves, bargains and shocks of the 2019 trade frenzy.
TRADE WINNERS
GOLD: ST KILDA
Something is happening down at Moorabbin.
The Saints entered the trade period with a long list of targets and landed them all — Brad Hill, Paddy Ryder, Zak Jones, Dougal Howard and Dan Butler.
The cost was Josh Bruce, Blake Acres and a host of draft picks.
Will all those moves pay off?
Probably not, but after eight years out of finals at least they are shaking things up under new coach Brett Ratten.
SILVER: WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Dogs took it down to the wire but they landed their two big targets in potential bookends Alex Keath and Josh Bruce — and held on to pick 13 in the draft.
That’s a huge win for a club expected to challenge for the top four next season.
🔘 Get Josh Bruce
— Western Bulldogs (@westernbulldogs) October 16, 2019
🔘 Get Alex Keath
🔘 Keep Pick 13
ðŸ¶ðŸ˜Ž#MightyWest pic.twitter.com/dt6dUOjtnT
BRONZE: WEST COAST
It took 12 months, three clubs and two first-round picks to get the deal done but the Eagles got their man in Tim Kelly early in the trade period.
Add a player who finished fifth in the Brownlow Medal to a team that was top-four for most of the season and already boasts a midfield with Luke Shuey, Elliot Yeo, Andrew Gaff and a fit Nic Naitanui and it starts to sound genuinely scary.
The Eagles didn’t do much in the trade period but this was enough for a podium finish.
TRADE BOOBY PRIZE
The Teague train entered the trade period travelling at full speed with a list of players expected to move to the up-and-coming Blues, but ran off the rails on the final day.
Eddie Betts will be warmly welcomed by the Blues faithful and ex-Hawk Marc Pittonet provides some ruck insurance, but missing out on Tom Papley and Jack Martin is a major disappointment, while ex-Tigers Dan Butler and Brandon Ellis are at other clubs after being linked to Carlton.
The Crows also took a step backwards with an exodus that included Josh Jenkins, Hugh Greenwood, Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Alex Keath, with Billy Frampton the only addition to Adelaide’s playing stocks.
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BIGGEST STEAL
Now we know why the Hawks don’t get too involved at the draft — they just wait a few years and grab the No.1 pick for virtually nothing in a trade.
Jon Patton has joined the Hawks for a future fourth-round draft pick, the same price they paid for ex-GWS teammate Tom Scully last year.
It was only two years ago that Patton kicked 45 goals, including a bag of five against Hawthorn.
Meanwhile, the Saints did the right thing in allowing Jack Steven to move closer to home but after asking for pick 37 they eventually had to settle for pick 58 for their four-time best-and-fairest winner.
If Steven can get back to his best next season he shapes as a massive bargain, and the perfect replacement for Tim Kelly in the Cats midfield.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
Lewis Taylor edged out Marcus Bontempelli for the 2014 Rising Star Award but he fell off the radar this season, playing just five senior games as the Lions surged up the ladder.
But the Swans are obviously still fans, offering him a three-year deal and handing pick 48 to Brisbane.
Dougal Howard also rose from obscurity in the past two weeks from a SANFL player to future All-Australian. A few clubs had a nibble before the man with the best first name in the competition landed at the Saints.
MORE NEWS:
AFL trade grades: Herald Sun footy experts rate every club’s exchange period
Carlton misses out on top trade targets Tom Papley and Jack Martin
Port Adelaide co-captain Ollie Wines discussed during trade talks
Gary Buckenara analyses Collingwood’s list after the 2019 season
GET BACK TO US IN 12 MONTHS
We won’t know the winner of a pick swap between Melbourne and North Melbourne until this time next year.
The Dees took a risk in giving up their second and third-round selections this year, and next year’s first-round pick, in exchange for the Roos’ pick 8.
Kangaroos fans will be hoping the Dees have another poor year which could result in them taking a top-five pick into next year’s draft. If Melbourne rebounds and makes the top four it will be more like pick 15. It’s the Liam Stocker deal of 2019. Watch this space.
UNSUNG HERO
A future fourth-round pick. The proverbial steak knives pick was used in no less than 13 different trades including deals for Brad Hill, Sam Frost, Jon Patton and Eddie Betts — and late swaps for James Aish and Aiden Bonar.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on whoever gets selected with that very late selection in next year’s draft.
LEFT AT THE ALTAR
Apart from Papley and Martin failing to get to the Blues, Joe Daniher will have to get used to the idea of playing for Essendon in 2020 after requesting a trade to Sydney. He will be a free agent at the end of next season — will we go through all this again?
Meanwhile, at different stages Port Adelaide thought they would land Orazio Fantasia and Melbourne and Brisbane thought they had Jamie Elliott, only for the players to choose loyalty over a trade.
Originally published as The biggest winners, deals and shocks of the 2019 AFL trade period