That's a wrap for today's blog – 2 days to go, still a mountain of deals to get done! Join us again from 7am tomorrow to get all the trade news as it happens – see you then.
AFL Trade Daily: Eddie Betts returns to Carlton, rolling trade news from Monday, October 14, 2019
Eddie Betts has spoken openly about his emotional return to Carlton and why he can turn back the clock next year under David Teague. Betts also revealed the offers he knocked back from rival clubs. TRADE RECAP
Eddie Betts has backed in his tremendous reservoirs of self belief to turn back the clock at Carlton next year after taking a pay cut and ignoring rival two-season deals.
Betts today revealed he almost broke down in tears when he walked back into the Carlton Football Club.
Betts believes he is far from washed up, adamant he can be a force in Carlton’s forward line despite turning 33 next month.
RECAP ALL TODAY'S TRADE MOVES IN THE BLOG BELOW
He said he believed he could find his best form again under David Teague after three All-Australian nods under him during Teague's time as an Adelaide forwards coach.
As revealed by the Herald Sun last week, he will be paid less than $500,000 on a one-year deal after ignoring the Suns’ more lucrative two-season offer.
Betts kicked 37 goals this season and despite flagging pressure numbers was a dynamic presence at Adelaide Oval with 73 total shots at goal.
Stream over 50 sports Live & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS on your TV, computer, mobile or tablet. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
“It is mixed emotions. Good positive emotions. It has only just happened and we were talking about it for a little while but for it to finally happen, I was really emotional walking onto this ground that I left six years ago. I almost started crying, to be honest,” Betts said.
“I am a life member at the Carlton Football Club, and this club has always been in my heart and it’s a fairytale and homecoming as well.
“I think I have changed a lot, I am a better leader, going to Adelaide I thought my leadership really stood up and coming back here I believe I can still play some good footy.
"I am 32 but I believe I still have a lot to offer. It was the right time in my career to make the move back to Carlton where it all began.”
The deal is particularly low-risk because Carlton will hand over only a future fourth-round selection, which could be as late as 75 and would not be used by the Blues anyway.
Betts said he was offered a three-year deal at the Suns, while Gold Coast said their offer was only a two-year deal. Regardless, he will back himself in to extend his career past a single season at the Blues.
MORE NEWS:
Analysis: Why Blue Betts will pay his way
Inside story: The moment all Betts were off
Essendon's biggest trade regrets
The Lion who could unlock trade period
Betts became one of Carlton’s great cult heroes of the modern era, kicking 290 goals in 184 games at the Blues before six seasons at Adelaide.
He set personal bests in Adelaide’s fitness testing at the start of 2019 and believes he can still compete in the modern game despite critics of his form.
“(Teague) is part of it, David came across to the Crows and he was our forward line coach and our offensive coach and the way he really shaped our ball movement, I played my best footy under David Teague and I can’t wait to reconnect and see what he is like as a senior coach,” Betts said.
Adelaide was happy to release him to complete his football fairytale, clearing around half a million dollars of cap space as the Crows overhaul their list.
If they move on Josh Jenkins alongside Sam Jacobs, Alex Keath, Betts, Hugh Greenwood and retirees Andy Otten and Richard Douglas, they can clear up to $2.5 million of cap space.
The Blues will lose back-up ruckman Andrew Phillips to Carlton but secure Hawthorn’s back-up Marc Pittonet.
RECAP ALL TODAY'S TRADE NEWS IN THE BLOG BELOW
Updates
Eddie explains Blues decision
Eddie Betts faces the media today – watch in full:
– Reece Homfray of The Advertiser reports …
The turning point for Eddie Betts — when he went from being adamant he would finish his career at Adelaide to questioning himself and the club — came when he was dropped for the first time in his six years as a Crow in late July.
Like Josh Jenkins and Bryce Gibbs, Betts paid the price for Adelaide’s season which was now in freefall when he became the latest big-name Crow to be axed from the senior side.
Hours after he played in the SANFL against Glenelg in front of a few thousand people at Brighton Road on July 27, Betts flew to Melbourne for a pre-planned family function.
While publicly he put on a brave and positive face, it was the first time Betts realised the club’s belief in him may also be waning and it would be heading in another direction — youth.
The evening flight to Melbourne rubbed further salt into the wounds because Betts had planned to be there already with his teammates who had just played Carlton at the MCG.
The inside story of Betts' change of heart
– Reece Homfray of The Advertiser reports …
The turning point for Eddie Betts — when he went from being adamant he would finish his career at Adelaide to questioning himself and the club — came when he was dropped for the first time in his six years as a Crow in late July.
Like Josh Jenkins and Bryce Gibbs, Betts paid the price for Adelaide’s season which was now in freefall when he became the latest big-name Crow to be axed from the senior side.
Hours after he played in the SANFL against Glenelg in front of a few thousand people at Brighton Road on July 27, Betts flew to Melbourne for a pre-planned family function.
While publicly he put on a brave and positive face, it was the first time Betts realised the club’s belief in him may also be waning and it would be heading in another direction — youth.
The evening flight to Melbourne rubbed further salt into the wounds because Betts had planned to be there already with his teammates who had just played Carlton at the MCG.
Join Sam Edmund, Jon Ralph and Sam Landsberger for all the latest trade buzz.
– Lachie Young of the Geelong Advertiser reports …
Geelong and Gold Coast are set to sign off on a deal that will send ruckman Zac Smith north for the 2020 season.
The former Suns big man played 50 games for the Cats across his four years after arriving at the end of the 2015 season, adding to the 65 he played with Gold Coast.
The trade, which has all but been completed, would leave Geelong with three recognised rucks heading into next season in Rhys Stanley, Ryan Abbott and Darcy Fort.
While the Cats also have Esava Ratugolea and Mark Blicavs on their list, they would prefer to have the freedom of playing that pair in their established positions in attack and defence respectively.
The Cats also have a decision to make on out-of-contract key position player Wylie Buzza, who did not play a senior game in 2019 and is fighting to keep his AFL career alive.
Interestingly, all three recognised rucks in Stanley, Abbott and Fort will come out of contract at the end of next season.
Cats set to trade ruckman out
– Lachie Young of the Geelong Advertiser reports …
Geelong and Gold Coast are set to sign off on a deal that will send ruckman Zac Smith north for the 2020 season.
The former Suns big man played 50 games for the Cats across his four years after arriving at the end of the 2015 season, adding to the 65 he played with Gold Coast.
The trade, which has all but been completed, would leave Geelong with three recognised rucks heading into next season in Rhys Stanley, Ryan Abbott and Darcy Fort.
While the Cats also have Esava Ratugolea and Mark Blicavs on their list, they would prefer to have the freedom of playing that pair in their established positions in attack and defence respectively.
The Cats also have a decision to make on out-of-contract key position player Wylie Buzza, who did not play a senior game in 2019 and is fighting to keep his AFL career alive.
Interestingly, all three recognised rucks in Stanley, Abbott and Fort will come out of contract at the end of next season.
Eddie Betts says he rejected a three-year contract offer from Gold Coast to sign a one-year deal at Carlton.
"The club has always been in my heart. It's like a fairytale and a homecoming," he said.
"The emotions are still running through my system.
"I just thought it was the right time for myself and my family."
Betts, who was speaking to the media after being traded to the Blues today for a future fourth-round draft pick, joked he was happy to have a role in getting friend Jack Martin to the Blues "but I don't know about Tom Papley".
"I just want to enjoy it (and) have fun. We've got an exciting young group and if the trade period goes the right way they could have another two small forwards."
Asked how long he can play for, the 32-year-old said: "My body's fine. I've had no injuries – three years ago I did my hammy twice and that was about it. I'll play as long as my body lets me."
Betts says he still loves Adelaide and "I'm going to miss them", and refused to answer a question about the Crows' infamous 2018 pre-season camp.
Betts: Blues have always been in my heart
Eddie Betts says he rejected a three-year contract offer from Gold Coast to sign a one-year deal at Carlton.
"The club has always been in my heart. It's like a fairytale and a homecoming," he said.
"The emotions are still running through my system.
"I just thought it was the right time for myself and my family."
Betts, who was speaking to the media after being traded to the Blues today for a future fourth-round draft pick, joked he was happy to have a role in getting friend Jack Martin to the Blues "but I don't know about Tom Papley".
"I just want to enjoy it (and) have fun. We've got an exciting young group and if the trade period goes the right way they could have another two small forwards."
Asked how long he can play for, the 32-year-old said: "My body's fine. I've had no injuries – three years ago I did my hammy twice and that was about it. I'll play as long as my body lets me."
Betts says he still loves Adelaide and "I'm going to miss them", and refused to answer a question about the Crows' infamous 2018 pre-season camp.
Well played, Blues
… and it didn't take long to get him in the new (old?) polo shirt