Adelaide trades Patrick Dangerfield for Geelong; Scott Selwood leaves Eagles
UPDATE: SCOTT Selwood is headed to Geelong to join brother Joel and Patrick Dangerfield — but the Eagles say the compensation for losing their VC is ‘disrespectful’. Meanwhile, Jack Redden joins Eagles.
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SCOTT Selwood’s move to Geelong as a free agent has been completed after the West Coast Eagles did not match the Cats contract offer.
Selwood was a restricted free agent, meaning the Eagles had the right to match Geelong’s offer that was lodged with the AFL on Friday.
“Scott has shown over his time with the Eagles that he is capable of playing a number of roles and that will give us additional flexibility in how we set up,” Geelong coach Chris Scott said.
“He is a person of high quality and will also bring exceptional leadership to our club.”
Selwood paid tribute to the Eagles and is looking forward to returning to Victoria.
“The West Coast Eagles have been a great football club to have been a part of over the last eight years, they gave me my first opportunity and I’ll always be grateful,” Selwood said.
“I’m really excited to be joining Geelong, I’m looking forward to being back amongst family and friends in Victoria and hope I can be part of something special at the Cats.”
EAGLES ANGER AT AFL COMPENSATION
However, West Coast is furious at the AFL’s decision to award the Eagles a second-round draft pick for Selwood.
The AFL determined that the club will get an additional second round selection (currently selection 37) at the draft for losing Selwood.
Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett said “Why have restricted free agency and free agency compensation if you are to be treated with such disrespect.
“The West Coast Eagles has been the home of Scott Selwood for eight years and he is approaching the prime of his career at 25 years of age.
“He was our vice-captain, he has been trained up by the club and we need to replace him.
“Geelong has spoken about the leadership qualities Scott brings and we know that.
“We think we acted in a totally professional manner in allowing Scott to go to Geelong, the club of his choice, for a number of compelling reasons and his value has only been judged on how much money he gets paid.
“The AFL will say that we had the right to match the offer, and yes we did, but it was not in the interests of the player or the club.
“The level of compensation for losing our vice-captain is totally inadequate.
“We are now of an even stronger view that all Free Agency should be reviewed and not purely based on a player’s salary.”
“I believe (the AFL) has got this totally wrong and we are extremely disappointed.”
SELWOOD JOINS DANGERFIELD AT CATS
Selwood will bolster the Cats midfield depth after spending eight seasons as a key component of the Eagles line up.
Since debuting in 2008, Selwood played 135 games with the Eagles. He won the club’s best and fairest in 2012 was acting co-captain in 2014 and vice captain in 2015 and played in six finals.
Meanwhile, Patridt Dangerfield will play for Geelong next season after Adelaide agreed to a trade for the star onballer on Monday.
On the opening day of the AFL trade period, the Crows sent Dangerfield to the Cats in exchange for picks No. 9 and No. 28 at this year’s draft, along with untried South Australian midfielder Dean Gore.
Adelaide also sent their third-round pick (No. 50) to Geelong as part of the deal.
“All along we were intent on doing what was in the best interests of our club, and we have been able to deliver the best possible outcome,” Adelaide list manager David Noble said via a club statement.
“Securing picks 9 and 28 allows us to add some more quality talent to our playing list, while Dean is a young man who has the makings of a long-term player.
“I would also like to acknowledge Geelong for the professional manner in which these negotiations where handled.” Dangerfield, 25, was a restricted free agent but the trade agreed to by the clubs means that he didn’t need to exercise his rights under the free agency system in order to get his wish to move back to his home state.
If he had departed under that system the Crows would have received pick 14 at the draft in compensation from the AFL.
Gore, 19, was selected by the Cats with pick 55 at last year’s national draft but didn’t play an AFL game in 2015.
“Our recruiting team rated Dean highly in the lead up to last year’s draft and he was on the verge of playing AFL football in his debut year,” Noble said.
Adelaide currently holds selections 9, 13, 28, 32 and 68 in next month’s national draft.
JACK REDDEN JOINS EAGLES
The West Coast Eagles have landed one of their prime trade targets by securing durable Brisbane midfielder Jack Redden.
The Eagles have parted with their first round selection (#17) for Redden, a high calibre inside midfielder who has played 129 games for the Lions, including a sequence of 112 in succession from his debut in 2009 to the middle of the 2014 season.
Redden flagged several weeks ago his intention to seek opportunities elsewhere and nominated West Coast as his club of choice, despite originally being drafted from South Australia.
Craig Vozzo, general manager football, said he was delighted to get the deal done so early in trade week.
“We are thrilled and excited to have a player of Jack’s quality and experience coming to the club and he will add another dimension to our midfield,” Vozzo said. “We look forward to Jack joining our club and playing his part in our vision for sustained success.
“He is a strong-bodied inside midfielder and aside from being an impressive young man, he brings with him attributes that will strengthen our list. We look forward to welcoming Jack and his fiancé Aimee to the club.”
The 190cm, 82kg Redden is not yet 25 (his birthday is December 9) and he is currently holidaying overseas.
The club will continue to negotiate with Sydney in an effort to seal the deal to bring lively half-forward Lewis Jetta back to WA.
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