AFL Trade Period: Lachie Schultz to Collingwood, Liam Henry to St Kilda
Collingwood look to be done with the trade period after nabbing a talented small forward while the Dockers were left disappointed to lose a second player on Monday. FULL WRAP HERE
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Collingwood is unlikely to make any further moves this trade period after officially securing the one player on its wish list.
The Magpies landed livewire small forward Lachie Schultz on Monday after agreeing to hand over pick 34 and a future first-round selection to Fremantle.
The 25-year-old was contracted with the Dockers for next year, but his management approached the Magpies the week after the club’s grand final win as Schultz sought an early move home to Victoria for family reasons.
“We knew it was going to be a difficult trade to get done, but in our belief Lachie was probably the best player in the trade or free agency group,” Collingwood football boss Graham Wright said.
“We’re really excited to have him part of Collingwood.”
Schultz joins the Magpies on a four-year deal – with a trigger for a fifth season – and the Magpies are confident he will be a good fit for the club despite already having a bevy of talented small forwards on their list.
“How that fits in with our other guys, that’s obviously a job for our coaches now to work out what that mix looks like,” Wright said on Trade Radio.
“But I’ve got no doubt that Lachie will make us a better team.”
Schultz played 23 games for Dockers this season, averaging 15.9 disposals and kicking 33 goals to finish equal-sixth in the Dockers’ best and fairest count.
He has missed only three senior matches across the past three years.
Schultz is originally from the Murray River town of Moama, around two-and-a-half hours north of Melbourne.
He was recruited from VFL club Williamstown, where he spent three seasons after being overlooked in his top-age draft year of 2015.
“The Dockers gave me my first football opportunity, and I will be forever grateful for my time there,” Schultz said.
“Family is important to me and is one of the reasons I have decided to make the move back to Victoria.
“There is something special about the Pies – they have experienced ultimate success – and this is something I hope to one day be a part of. I am excited to pull on the black and white stripes next year.”
The Magpies are left with two picks to take to next month’s national draft, holding selections 19 and 39.
ST KILDA GET HENRY ON THE CHEAP
St Kilda has maintained its top picks in this year’s draft and next by essentially only handing over a second-round choice to Fremantle for Liam Henry, with the Dockers “disappointed” to lose the winger.
The dasher requested a trade to the Saints in September and initial talks indicated the Dockers were after one of St Kilda’s early picks in the 2023 draft – currently sitting at 13 and 21 – or a future first-round choice for Henry, who has been locked in on a four-year deal.
But the Saints managed to hold onto their top draft capital, only handing over the future second and swapping future fourth-round picks to get the deal done.
St Kilda had been adamant it wanted to keep its top picks for November’s draft, as list boss Stephen Silvagni targets top talent after an elimination final defeat this year.
Henry enjoyed a career year in 2023, averaging 20.4 disposals playing largely on the wing or at half-forward and should add some hard-running capability to compliment Brad Hill at the Saints.
After being part of the club through its academy since he was a teen, Fremantle list boss Davis Walls said Henry, 22, had only just started showing his potential before leaving.
“It’s disappointing to see Liam depart after showing his potential in 2023,” Walls said.
Henry said he “loved my time at the Dockers, they made my childhood dreams come true which I’m very grateful for but I felt like the time was right to make a change”.
The Dockers landed a future first-round choice earlier on Monday in the deal that sent Lachie Schultz to Collingwood.
Already holding a Port Adelaide future first and second rounder, alongside its own choice, Fremantle now owns three first round picks and three second rounders in next year’s draft.
Walls described the hefty draft hand as “very strong”.
Fremantle fans often bemoaned a chink in Henry’s game with his kicking and his kicking efficiency slipped to 61.2 per cent, rated average in the competition, but Silvagni praised Henry’s skills.
“Liam is an exciting young player with plenty of upside to excited Saints fans,” Silvagni said.
“His ability to find space is complemented by his elite skills and composure with ball in hand.”
The Saints will now turn their focus to landing Carlton midfielder Paddy Dow.
DONS, POWER TALK DUURSMA AND BZT
Essendon and Port Adelaide have finally met for meaningful discussions over their deal involving Brandon Zerk-Thatcher and Xavier Duursma as the Dons defender made clear he would not return to the Bombers.
The Power still has as many as four deals to close in the final days of trade period, as Richmond’s Ivan Soldo requests a trade but the Tigers hold firm on the contracted ruckman.
Geelong is still steadfast that it needs more than pick 25 for intercept defender Esava Ratugolea, while the Power should be able to satisfy the Western Bulldogs with a later pick for ruckman Jordon Sweet.
But after a week of little to no talks on a deal for Zerk-Thatcher, Dons list manager Adrian Dodoro and Power list boss Jason Cripps met on Monday to outline their demands.
The Herald Sun revealed on Sunday Essendon was prepared to try to keep full back Zerk-Thatcher and was keen for a straight swap with Power wingman Duursma.
But Zerk-Thatcher’s camp has made clear to Essendon that is not an option given he is uncontracted.
WHERE DEES STAND ON CROWS’ PETTY RAID AND MCADAM
Melbourne has emphatically ruled out a trade with Adelaide for key forward Harrison Petty as the Demons confirmed Jake Melksham would be at the club next year.
Demons list boss Tim Lamb said on Monday his club was still offering a future second-round draft pick for Adelaide’s Shane McAdam but would not entertain moving on contracted swingman Petty.
The Herald Sun last week revealed the Crows had offered Petty a long-term deal on as much as $800,000 – with a first-year hitting $1.2 million – and the South Australian was keen to return home.
Lamb confirmed this masthead’s report that the Demons were keen to offer Petty an extension past 2025, but it seems extremely unlikely he would entertain a new deal.
It means the Demons will hope he can form an exciting partnership with Jacob Van Rooyen next year and change his mind about his future intentions.
The Demons are also confident they can get a deal done on McAdam, although with two future second-rounders and two future fourth-rounders they might have to offer more for the 28-year-old given Adelaide’s hard line approach.
Regardless, the Demons will bolster their tall stocks with ruck-forward Tom Fullarton and will retain Melksham off an ACL tear, although it could be as a rookie.
Lamb said Melbourne believed Melksham, who tore his ACL in round 24, could make a lightning return from that knee injury to return mid-year.
While the Crows will continue to ask the question of Petty, Lamb said he would not be released from his contract.
“100 per cent. It is 100 per cent (that he is staying),” Lamb told Trade Radio.
“We have had a number of chats with Harrison. He’s a really good player. It’s why Adelaide would like to get him. It’s why we are keeping him. Both Simon (Goodwin) and Richo (football boss Alan Richardson) and myself have spoken to Harrison and he’s aware of our position and we will work to hopefully have him not only for the next two years but for a long time after that.
“We see him partnering with Jacob and we are really excited about that partnership.
“What we saw this year was really good, they worked together well and that’s where he will be playing for us.”
Lamb would not expand upon Clayton Oliver’s status after a recent trip to Footscray hospital after a seizure as he deals with off-field issues.
“He is going well. I am not going to elaborate on anything to do with Clayton. There is a statement put out by the club, but he’s going well.”
The Demons have picks six and 11, with Lamb making clear the Demons believed trading up to 11 last week would give the club a vastly improved chance of taking a quality long-term player.
Melbourne has offered picks 6, 11 and a future first-rounder for West Coast’s pick 1 but has so far been knocked back.
Lamb said fans would be surprised by how quickly Jake Melksham returned to the side next year.
“Jake will definitely be with us in 2024. We are working through whether on the primary list or rookie list. We have committed to Jake and he’s committed to us. His surgeon is really happy with how his surgery went and we think he will be back a fair bit sooner than everyone thinks. He will definitely be with us next year.”
ROOS TRADE FOR TIGERS FREE AGENT
North Melbourne has handed Richmond pick 65 for key defender Bigoa Nyuon to preserve its Ben McKay free agency compensation.
The unrestricted free agent earned that status after being delisted and then rookie listed by the Tigers and had played a single senior games for six disposals in 2022.
In 17 VFL games this year, playing key back and spending some time in the ruck, 200cm Nyuon averaged 11 possessions and 1.1 intercept marks.
Nyuon had not yet been offered a contract by the Tigers, with North Melbourne keen on the athletic key back who was initially taken in the third round of the 2019 national draft.
Their trade for Nyuon on Monday means they retain pick 3 for the Ben McKay compensation under a formula that calculates compensation based on the net gains for each club.
The Roos were keen to bolster a key defensive unit that lost McKay and will not be able to count on Griffin Logue until mid-season after his ACL tear in round 17.
North Melbourne has also secured Glenelg intercept star Toby Pink as an unrestricted free agent after he emerged as a quality defensive product after being delisted by Sydney.
Roos list boss Brady Rawlings said North Melbourne was excited by Nyuon’s versatility.
“Biggie is an athletic key defender who stood out to us with his ability to take intercept marks and his versatility to play as a ruck,” Rawlings said.
“The Tigers have a few tall options down back and in the ruck, so he’s searching for an opportunity to play senior football.
“We look forward to welcoming him into the club and seeing his attributes further develop here.”
THREE DAYS, 20 DEALS: WHO WILL MOVE NEXT?
A hectic final three days of the AFL Trade Period await, with around 20 possible deals still to be done.
Clubs came to only one agreement over the weekend, with Hawthorn forward Tyler Brockman finding his way to West Coast in exchange for picks 44 and 63.
All remaining trade deals must be finalised by the close of the period at 7.30pm on Wednesday.
Premiers Collingwood remain in negotiations with Fremantle over a deal for small forward Lachie Schultz.
The Dockers are also yet to agree to terms with St Kilda over a trade for wingman Liam Henry.
Port Adelaide has a particularly busy few days ahead as it seeks to bring in intercept defender Esava Ratugolea (Geelong), fellow backman Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon) and ruckman Jordan Sweet (Western Bulldogs).
The Power also still need to get a deal done with Essendon after wingman Xavier Duursma requested a trade to the Bombers.
Hawthorn still needs to get a deal done with Gold Coast over key forward Mabior Chol, in what could be a three-way trade with Richmond which also paves the way for fellow forward Jacob Koschitzke to join the Tigers.
Massimo D’Ambrosio (Hawthorn), Jack Gunston (Hawthorn), Nick Coffield (Western Bulldogs) and Shane McAdam (Melbourne) are among other players still waiting on trade requests to be fulfilled.
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