Trade Tracker: Every trade and free agency signing at your AFL club

Geelong has played down talk of a heated trade demand from Jordan Clark, who it traded to Fremantle after protracted negotiations.

Rhys Stanley will face stiff competition for Geelong’s No. 1 ruck role from new acquisition Jon Ceglar. Picture: AAP

Geelong has played down a reported rift with Jordan Clark after the wantaway defender was not traded to Fremantle until an hour before the deadline closed.

The Cats played hardball on their draft demands for Clark — only releasing him when Fremantle offered a second-round draft pick (22) and a future third round draft pick in exchange for a future fourth round selection.

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But Cats list boss Stephen Wells denied a radio report that Clark hung the phone up on him during a fiery call this week.

Speedster Jordan Clark is on his way to the Dockers. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

“Definitely didn’t hang up on me. He just asked politely if we could get the deal done in any way, that he wanted to go home to Fremantle,” he said.

“There was nothing at all fiery or newsworthy in that phone call.”

Wells was certain Clark, who signed a four-year deal, had a bright future at the Dockers.

“We needed a good deal otherwise we were going to have Jordan back and he was well aware of that,” Wells said.

“It was a good, tough negotiation.”

First day duties… with the sleeves 😎 #foreverfreopic.twitter.com/kXDy4Sedag

— Fremantle Dockers (@freodockers) October 14, 2021

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List boss Stephen Wells was thrilled to land Ceglar and said it was unclear who would be leading the club’s ruck division at the start of next season.

Despite calls for the Cats to invest in more youth, Geelong showed it was unwilling to deviate from its list strategy as it welcomed 30-year-old Ceglar in exchange for a future third-round draft pick as the trade period came to a close on Wednesday night.

Rhys Stanley has been Geelong’s No. 1 ruckman with mixed results, but Ceglar will attempt to take over that mantle over pre-season after signing a two-year deal.

The Hawks also handed over a future fourth-round choice to the Cats and will tip in significant part of his salary believed to be worth more than $100,000 a season.

Rhys Stanley will face stiff competition for Geelong’s No. 1 ruck role from new acquisition Jon Ceglar. Picture: AAP

Separately, the Cats also secured pick No. 22 and a future third-round selection (tied to Carlton) for defender Jordan Clark and a future fourth-round pick.

List boss Stephen Wells was thrilled to land Ceglar and said it was unclear who would be leading the club’s ruck division at the start of next season.

“It will be a team of ruckmen and their form will determine who gets picked and who is playing when,” Wells said.

“We have got a couple of very experienced ruckmen there in Rhys Stanley and Jon Ceglar and Esava Ratugolea and a number of developing young ruckmen who might also get their opportunity.”

Ceglar makes Geelong’s big man stocks even stronger. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong traded out tall Darcy Fort to Brisbane and used the future third-round pick it gained from the Lions to secure Ceglar.

Ceglar’s arrival means the Cats have added another veteran to the oldest list in the competition but Wells said there were no reservations with Ceglar’s age.

With exciting former Crow and Tigers’ forward Tyson Stengle also expected to arrive as a delisted free agent, Wells said the club was out to win the flag next year.

“Nothing is sneaking up on us, we know that we have got a list profile that seems to get discussed a lot,” he said.

“The main thing we are concerning ourselves with is trying to give ourselves the chance of some ultimate success.

“Everyone at the club is very confident we have got an opportunity to improve for next year on what we did this year.

“We will be approaching pre-season and next season with a lot of confidence.”

Former Crow Tyson Stengle will add spark to the Cats’ forward line. Picture: Sarah Reed

The Cats held firm on their draft demands for Clark, requesting either pick No. 19 or 22 and a future third rounder for the dashing defender.

The Cats will have four picks in the first two rounds of next month’s draft with 22, 30, 32 and 34.

Geelong is expected to try and package up some of those picks in a bid to advance up the draft order.

Originally published as Trade Tracker: Every trade and free agency signing at your AFL club