Geelong swingman Esava Ratugolea traded to Port Adelaide just before deadline

Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea will play for Port Adelaide in 2024 after a trade was made just before the deadline. See what the Cats received in return and the reasons for the stalemate.

Esava Ratugolea has been traded. Picture: Mark Stewart

Geelong swingman Esava Ratugolea has been traded to Port Adelaide.

The 25-year-old was traded to the Power in exchange for pick 25 and two additional later picks, 76 and 94, just before the deadline.

The Cats now hold picks eight, 25, 76, 87 and 94 in next month’s national draft.

Selected at pick 43 in the 2016 national draft, Ratugolea played 75 games for Geelong.

The club’s general manager of football Andrew Mackie said Ratugolea was a “quality person” who had been committed to its football program.

“While we are disappointed to lose Esava, we acknowledge he was out of contract and requested a trade to Port Adelaide,” Mackie said.

“We wish him all the best in his football future.”

“We have now strengthened our 2023 draft hand and remain open minded to possibilities heading into the draft.”

Geelong received three picks in the deal. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The Cats football boss said they are open to trading their newly acquired second round selection along with their prized pick at No.8, with pick 25 opening up possibilities for them to package the two selections together.

Mackie said bolstering their midfield will be a particular focus at the draft, but it is unclear whether the top echelon on-ballers, like Lake medallist Ryley Sanders, will be available when they are on the board.

“We’ve been open for dialogue for about the last 10 days, fair to say there wasn’t too much communication going on there for a bit but the last couple of days I’ve been in contact with Winston Rous, Esava’s management,” Mackie said on AFL Trade Radio.

“And through Winston and opening up dialogue with (Jason Cripps) we were able to get the deal done. It was always pretty close to be fair, I spoke about trying to maximise the deal if Esava was to go and that was my job to try and do that, and I feel it has landed in a pretty good spot for both parties.

“Right now that 76 is our third pick in the draft so that will come in with all the Gold Coast bids and everything involved with all that, that was the thinking there.

“We talked around some future stuff but we were realistic with what Port Adelaide had in their hands so 76, we do value every pick so we’ve known all year with the stuff we did in the trade period that we’re probably working in the back-end of the draft. It gives our guys an opportunity – hopefully it comes in a bit and hopefully we can find a player there.

“I think there’s some midfield stuff that we need to attend to in the short-term, whether that is possible in the draft. We are really open with what our picks look like from here, the 25 actually allows some flexibility with other clubs involved with pick 8 as well so we will structure that around there.”

Several local Geelong Falcons prospects were invited to the state draft combine and could be available for the Cats with pick 76.

These include hard-edged midfielder and Morrish medallist Patrick Hughes, marking forward Michael Rudd and busy small forward Tom Anastasopoulos.

Originally published as Geelong swingman Esava Ratugolea traded to Port Adelaide just before deadline