Expert recruiter and list guru Gary Buckenara rates your club’s AFL trade period
WHO were the trade period winners and losers? List expert GARY BUCKENARA isn’t impressed with Collingwood but says Carlton aced it and Essendon is a premiership threat. GARY BUCKENARA RATES YOUR CLUB’S TRADE PERIOD
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THE 2017 trade period is complete with a 31 trades and three free agency moves completed, with 28 players in total switching clubs.
Expert recruiter and list guru GARY BUCKENARA rates your club’s trade period.
CHAT LIVE WITH GARY BUCKENARA ABOUT YOUR CLUB’S TRADE PERIOD AND THE UPCOMING NATIONAL DRAFT ON FRIDAY FROM MIDDAY
ADELAIDE
IN: Bryce Gibbs, Sam Gibson, pick 12, pick 39, pick 77, Melbourne 2018 first-round pick, Carlton 2018 second-round, Carlton 2018 third-round, Melbourne 2018 fourth-round
OUT: Jake Lever, Charlie Cameron, Harrison Wigg, pick 10 (Lever trade), pick 16, pick 35, pick 54, pick 73, pick 91, 2018 second-round pick, 2018 third-round, 2018 fourth-round
DRAFT PICKS: 12, 39, 77, 109
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: The Crows obviously lost a couple of important players in Lever and Cameron from their Grand Final side and getting Gibbs was a plus but if you weigh it up, they’re behind where they were in terms of their list in 2017. Losing quality players like Lever and Cameron to bring in just one quality player in Gibbs will hurt. They’ve topped up by getting the now-former Blue to add class to the midfield and then added a bit more grunt with Sam Gibson, who will help take the pressure off Rory Sloane but the acquisition of those two doesn’t really equate to what Lever and Cameron brought to the side. All in all I think Adelaide will be reasonably happy but in my opinion the club overpaid for Gibbs — he’ll be 29 next year and giving up two first-round picks was a big price to pay even though he’s coming off a very good season. Pick No.12 will get the Crows a nice player in the draft for the future.
GRADE: B-
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READ MORE: GARY BUCKENARA CLUB LIST ANALYSES
COLLINGWOOD: THREE BIGGEST ISSUES HURTING PIES
MELBOURNE: WHAT DOES JAKE LEVER MEAN FOR DEMONS?
ADELAIDE: CROWS SHOULDN’T SELL FARM FOR GIBBS
ESSENDON: ARE BOMBERS ENTERING FLAG WINDOW?
HAWTHORN: IS HAWKS’ NEXT DYNASTY AROUND THE CORNER?
CARLTON: BLUES BUILDING TO FINALS IN 2018 OR 2019
GOLD COAST: THE DEAL SUNS SHOULD CONSIDER FOR LYNCH
WESTERN BULLDOGS: IS TRENGOVE THE MISSING PIECE?
PORT ADELAIDE: HAWKS PAIR WOULD FIT AT POWER
BRISBANE: HODGE AN ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ STEAL
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BRISBANE LIONS
IN: Luke Hodge, Charlie Cameron, pick 15, pick 18, pick 40, pick 44, pick 52
OUT: Tom Rockliff, Josh Schache, pick 12, pick 20, pick 25 (from Schache trade), pick 43, pick 75
DRAFT PICKS: 1, 15, 18, 40, 44, 52, 93
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: The Lions have done really well. Rockliff was one of the club’s leaders and Schache a No.2 pick from just two years ago but getting Luke Hodge into this club is huge. The difference he will make is enormous. He brings experience, stature and will give his younger teammates confidence such is the way he goes about his footy - not only in ability but the leadership he supplies both on and off the field. Brisbane wouldn’t have seen someone like Hodge come into the club since Michael Voss and Jonathan Brown. Fans will want to go to the Gabba and watch Hodge play because he’s so revered across the league for what he has achieved so his arrival is a coup, both in the football aspect and club-wide view. It’s a masterstroke. He will set the new standards and help drive the culture. Add Hodge to Charlie Cameron, who is exactly what Brisbane need. He’s so dynamic and applies great forward pressure, something the Lions have really lacked in recent seasons. The club also has three picks inside the top 20, which is important. A great trade period for Brisbane.
GRADE: A-
GARY BUCKENARA: WHO ARE THE TOP 30 DRAFT PROSPECTS THIS YEAR?
CARLTON
IN: Matthew Kennedy, Darcy Lang, Matthew Lobbe, Pick 10, pick 30, pick 73, Adelaide 2018 second-round pick, Western Bulldogs 2018 second-round, Geelong 2018 fourth-round
OUT: Bryce Gibbs, pick 16 (from Gibbs trade), pick 28 (from Bulldogs), pick 40, pick 58, pick 77, pick 95, 2018 second-round pick, 2018 third-round, 2018 fourth-round
DRAFT PICKS: 3, 10, 30, 73
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Another nice trade period from Stephen Silvagni and the Blues. Two top-10 picks in this draft is huge and the Blues have also been able to replace the picks they’ve lost in next year’s draft with selections from rival clubs. The trading of Gibbs is a blow obviously to what Carlton will be able to achieve next year but the trade fits in with the club’s list management strategy over the last few years and that’s to invest in the draft and the future. The fact is Gibbs will be 29 next year and the likelihood of him being part of Carlton’s next premiership is slim. That trade was a brilliant outcome and Carlton supporters should be really happy. Matt Kennedy will be a good player - he was a first-round pick for GWS two years ago and to get him for a second-round pick is a good deal, while Lang will come in and play a role and Lobbe fills a need. I really like what Carlton has done, they’re really well-positioned.
GRADE: A+
WHAT REALLY HAPPENS DURING THE TRADE PERIOD? GARY BUCKENARA JOINS KATE SALEMME TO TAKE YOU BEHIND-THE-SCENES AS CLUBS TALK TRADES. LISTEN HERE:
COLLINGWOOD
IN: Sam Murray, pick 70, Sydney 2018 third-round pick
OUT: 2018 second-round pick
DRAFT PICKS: 6, 38, 56, 61, 70, 80, 98
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: A very strange trade period from the Magpies. They’ve brought in Sam Murray from Sydney’s rookie list and overpaid for him. He’s got some talent but the reality is he was a smoky pick in the rookie draft two years ago and didn’t play a senior game for the Swans. To give up a second-round pick in next year’s draft to secure the deal — even though they’ve got a third-rounder back from the Swans — is baffling. Collingwood’s second-round pick next year will likely be a top-25 selection, while Sydney’s third-rounder could come in the late 40-50 range. I’m not sure what the thinking is with that deal. I’m scratching my head. I would have thought Collingwood would have been bigger players in order to try and fill the biggest need on the list — a key position forward. Yes, the club has held on to pick no.6 but this is by no means a strong draft hand for the Pies this year. Their next pick, no.38, will be speculative and then it goes from there. What was their strategy? Very strange. A non-event. I would have liked to see Collingwood do what Essendon has done.
GRADE: D
ESSENDON
IN: Jake Stringer, Devon Smith, Adam Saad, GWS 2018 second-round pick
OUT: Pick 11, pick 25 (from GWS for Smith), pick 30, 2018 second-round pick, 2018 third-round
DRAFT PICKS: 48, 67, 85, 103
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: One of the undoubted winners of the trade period. Bringing in three really good players in Stringer, Saad and Smith is going to improve the list dramatically next year and I believe it will fast-track the Bombers in their quest for premiership success. It puts them right in the mix to challenge in 2018 — I expect the Bombers to be in the top four or at least challenging for the double-chance. Essendon won’t enter the draft until late but if someone said you could get Stringer, Saad and Smith with your first three picks you would take that in a heartbeat. We could look back at this trade period as the turning point for this club in building a premiership list.
GRADE: A+
FREMANTLE
IN: Nathan Wilson, Brandon Matera, pick 2, pick 66, pick 71, pick 82
OUT: Lachie Weller, Hayden Crozier, Harley Balic, pick 41, pick 57, 2018 second-round pick, 2018 third-round, 2018 fourth-round
DRAFT PICKS: 2, 5, 42, 60, 66, 71, 79, 83, 97
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Pick No.2 for Lachie Weller? Well done, Dockers. That gives the club a really strong hand at the draft table with two top-five picks, which will help this club with its rebuild/regeneration of the list. Weller will be a loss but to get pick No.2 was an outstanding result. Nathan Wilson comes in and will add some dash, while Matera fills a list need as a small forward given Hayden Ballantyne is at the end of his career. The pair will be best 22, while the departures of Crozier and Balic won’t hurt too much — they were depth players.
GRADE: B+
GEELONG
IN: Gary Ablett, pick 24, pick 58, Richmond 2018 third-round pick, Gold Coast 2018 fourth-round, Carlton 2018 fourth-round
OUT: Steven Motlop, Darcy Lang, pick 19, pick 53, 2018 second-round pick, 2018 fourth-round
DRAFT PICKS: 22, 24, 35, 58, 72, 90
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Securing a trade to bring Gary Ablett home was obviously the priority and while it went down to the final hour, the Cats got it done and didn’t have to pay a huge price. The Suns wanted players initially and asked for the likes of Mitch Duncan and Nakia Cockatoo but Stephen Wells has managed to keep those guys and get his man. That’s a tick from me. The combination of Dangerfield, Selwood and Ablett is going to be seriously exciting to watch next year. Will it be good enough to take the club to a premiership? Only time will tell. Motlop is the only real loss here but he has been far too inconsistent and in the end, the pick received for him heading to Port Adelaide — No.19 — was used to get Ablett so I think Geelong people will be pretty happy. I’m happy to see three picks inside 35 in the draft because the Cats do need to bring in some top-end talent and get the next wave of talented young players into the club because they have lacked picks in recent years. Did miss out on Jake Stringer, which was disappointing and ruled themselves out of being able to do a deal for Jack Watts.
GRADE: B
GOLD COAST SUNS
IN: Aaron Young, Harrison Wigg, Lachie Weller, pick 19, pick 41, pick 50, pick 54, West Coast 2018 first-round pick, Essendon 2018 second-round pick, Fremantle 2018 third-round, Geelong 2018 second-round
OUT: Gary Ablett, Adam Saad, Brandon Matera, pick 2, pick 21, pick 24, pick 26, pick 37, pick 39, 2018 second-round pick, 2018 fourth-round
DRAFT PICKS: 19, 41, 50, 54, 76, 94
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: The good news is the Suns have added some experienced players. The bad news is two guns — Gary Ablett and Adam Saad — have left and it leaves Gold Coast’s list in a worse position than it was this year. List boss Scott Clayton has been around a long time and giving up pick No.2 for Lachie Weller and pick 41 wasn’t a great deal but I understand the priority would have been to bring in experienced players who can be part of the best 22 straight away. Weller is a talented player and should thrive being back in his home state but that was a huge price to pay. There’s no doubt they overpaid. I don’t mind the acquisition of Aaron Young — he’s a proven goalkicker and was secured pretty cheaply. It appears the Suns like what they see in the 2018 draft, which I rate as a really good one, so investing in draft picks there was a smart move, particularly in securing West Coast’s first-round selection.
GRADE: C
GWS
IN: Pick 11, pick 28, pick 57, Fremantle 2018 second-round, Essendon 2018 third-round pick
OUT: Devon Smith, Nathan Wilson, Matt Kennedy, pick 24, pick 71, 2018 second-round pick
Draft picks: 11, 27, 28, 57, 65, 89, 107
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: A quiet trade period by the Giants’ standards. Wilson is a big loss — he has been a big improver in the last two or so years with his dash off halfback really important, particularly considering Heath Shaw is nearing the end of his career. But the depth at the club is such that they can probably afford to lose players more than other clubs, although it’s still not ideal. GWS jumped at the opportunity to get their hands on Essendon’s pick No.11, which was a good move as they lost their own first-rounder as a consequence of the Lachie Whitfield drugs scandal. That will get them a good player, as will pick Nos. 27 and 28. The club would be reasonably happy. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants have something up their sleeve in the pre-season, national or rookie drafts in terms of filling their need for a small, pressure forward.
GRADE: B-
HAWTHORN
IN: Jarman Impey, pick 43, pick 68, 75
OUT: Luke Hodge, pick 34, 44, pick 61, pick 71, 2018 fourth-round pick
DRAFT PICKS: 43, 68, 75, 81, 99
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: There is a lot of excitement around Jarman Impey and while I think he’s a OK player, he wasn’t a regular in Port Adelaide’s best 22 so I urge supporters not to get too carried away. Yes he’s quick and is a reasonable kick but I’m not sure he’s consistent enough. What role does the club have in mind? Will he be a forward/midfielder or will the Hawks try and turn him into a rebounding defender? Has he got more to his game? I’m not sure. Obviously the Jaeger O’Meara deal from last year left the club a bit hamstrung in terms of trying to use the cash it no doubt has in its salary cap to lure a big name or two. Again, draft picks for Hawthorn in 2017 will be speculative and the recruiters will need to make sure they do their homework and do it well.
GRADE: C
MELBOURNE
IN: Jake Lever, Harley Balic, pick 31, pick 36, Adelaide 2018 third-round pick
OUT: Jack Watts, pick 10, pick 66, 2018 first-round pick, 2018 fourth-round
DRAFT PICKS: 29, 31, 36, 47, 84, 102
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Jack Watts goes out and Jake Lever comes in and personally I think that’s a win. The Demons had to pay a hefty price to get Lever, letting go of two first-round picks but the reality is sometimes you need to pay overs to secure the player you desperately want. He’ll be an important player as the club looks to push up into the finals and challenge for a flag in the next 2-4 years. I have no problems with clubs paying a little bit overs to get the player they want and more importantly if it is a player they need to help their structure, which is what Lever is. But the Watts deal, I would have just kept him. Pick No.31 for a player of his calibre, OK he has some issues but he is more important to Melbourne than pick 31. It is a steal for Port Adelaide. It’s not a good deal at all. Balic will be a depth player but to get him for pick No.66 doesn’t hurt too much.
GRADE: B-
NORTH MELBOURNE
IN: Pick 91, West Coast 2018 third-round pick, St Kilda 2018 third-round
OUT: Sam Gibson, pick 46, 2018 third-round pick
DRAFT PICKS: 4, 23, 64, 78, 91, 96
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Went after Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly but didn’t get either, which was disappointing for the rebuilding Kangaroos but good on them for not spending their money for the sake of it. The club is finding it a bit hard at the moment to attract players because they waited too long to make a call on their direction — they’ve held on to players for too long and that includes Todd Goldstein. What happens is, you hold on to a player for a year or two too long because you want to stay competitive but the flip side is their value drops significantly and unfortunately for the Kangaroos, that is what has happened here. The club should have read the play earlier, including on the likes of Brent Harvey, Michael Firrito, Drew Petrie and Nick Dal Santo.
GRADE: C-
PORT ADELAIDE
IN: Tom Rockliff, Jack Watts, Steven Motlop, pick 46, pick 59, pick 62, pick 63, pick 95, St Kilda 2018 second-round pick, North Melbourne 2018 third-round
OUT: Jackson Trengove, Jarman Impey, Aaron Young, Brendon Ah Chee, Logan Austin, Matthew Lobbe, pick 31, pick 34 (via Hawthorn for Impey), pick 67, 2018 fourth-round, St Kilda 2018 third-round pick (from Austin trade), West Coast 2018 third-round (from Ah Chee deal), Hawthorn 2018 fourth-round (from Impey trade), Adelaide 2018 fourth-round (via Gold Coast)
DRAFT PICKS: 46, 49, 59, 62, 63, 86, 95
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: One of the winners of the trade period but I’ve got the Power ranked under the Bombers and Blues. The addition of Tom Rockliff, Jack Watts and Steven Motlop will improve the side and be best 22 players but will it be enough to get Ken Hinkley’s team into the top four? A lot will still depend on luck with injuries because Port Adelaide’s depth wasn’t tested at all this year and I’m concerned the club has been provided a false economy for where they’re at because of that. Watts is the pick of the trio because of what he does for the structure and given they were able to get him so cheaply. The players that have left — Trengove, Impey, Young, Ah Chee, Austin and Lobbe — won’t hurt too much because they were depth players this year anyway but it remains to be seen how that impacts the list as a whole when injuries inevitably strike. Still, the list is now in a better position at the end of the trade period than it was before the trade period. A good run with injuries should see the Power challenge for top four but a bad run could see them drop significantly.
GRADE: A-
RICHMOND
IN: Pick 20, pick 25, pick 53
OUT: Pick 15, pick 52, 2018 third-round pick
DRAFT PICKS: 17, 20, 25, 53, 55, 74, 92
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Not big players this year after securing Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy and Toby Nankervis last year but the Tigers have improved their draft position so that gets them a tick from me. No doubt pick Nos. 20 and 25 will be critical in securing father-son prospect Patrick Naish, who will more-than-likely attract a bid from a rival club in the first-round of November’s national draft. I was surprised Richmond didn’t pursue Josh Schache because another tall is a list need but bearing in mind the draft points equation for Naish, it makes sense. Schache would have cost them a pick or a couple of picks (or even a good player), which could have affected their ability to draft Naish.
GRADE: B
ST KILDA
IN: Logan Austin, pick 34, Adelaide 2018 fourth-round (via Port Adelaide), Port Adelaide 2018 fourth-round
OUT: Pick 59, pick 63, 2018 second-round pick, 2018 third-round
DRAFT PICKS: 7, 8, 34, 45, 100
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Another team that wasn’t too active, the Saints head to the draft armed with two top-10 picks which will get them a couple of really good players. But, there’s no doubt St Kilda would have thought when the club secured Hawthorn’s first-round pick last year, which became pick No.7, the club would have been able to secure an A-grade star. That didn’t happen, missing out on Dustin Martin, Josh Kelly, Nat Fyfe and even Devon Smith. What does get a tick from me is not trading either of those picks for the sake of it. That was a good strategy and is why I rate their trade period a B.
GRADE: B
SYDNEY SWANS
IN: Collingwood 2018 second-round pick
OUT: Sam Murray, pick 70, 2018 third-round pick
DRAFT PICKS: 14, 33, 51, 88, 106
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Another quiet trade period from the Swans but they would be ecstatic in what they were able to extract out of Collingwood for rookie-listed speedster Sam Murray. An outstanding deal.
GRADE: B
WEST COAST EAGLES
IN: Brendon Ah Chee, pick 21, pick 26, pick 37, Gold Coast 2018 second-round, Hawthorn 2018 third-round (via Port Adelaide with Ah Chee)
OUT: Pick 50, 2018 first-round pick, 2018 third-round
DRAFT PICKS: 13, 21, 26, 32, 37, 69, 87, 105
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: Glad to see the Eagles will invest in the draft this year. Most of their trade period action was via pick swaps with rival clubs to improve its draft position and will now head to the draft armed with five picks in the top 40. Refreshing the list with top-end kids is the priority and way forward for West Coast.
GRADE: B
WESTERN BULLDOGS
IN: Jackson Trengove, Josh Schache, Hayden Crozier, pick 16, Fremantle 2018 fourth-round pick
OUT: Jake Stringer, pick 25 (from Stringer trade), pick 28, pick 30 (from Stringer trade), pick 40, pick 41, pick 82, 2018 second-round
DRAFT PICKS: 9, 16, 82, 101
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS: It was shaping as a horror trade period for the Bulldogs but the club has done really well. While Stringer has left, the Dogs have brought in a key defender (Jackson Trengove), key forward (Josh Schache) and half back flanker/outside midfielder (Hayden Crozier) and secured them with great deals. Trengove was a free agent but to get Schache, a pick No.2 only two years ago, for picks 25 and 40 was brilliant. In effect, the Dogs have traded Stringer for Schache. I still rate Schache really highly and think he will develop into a good AFL player. He marks well on the lead and is an accurate set shot for goal, he’s a beautiful kick — those types of players are very hard to find. I have no doubt he will thrive being back in his home state and around his family and friends. I think they’ve got a beauty. The Bulldogs can now also take picks 9 and 16 to the draft and bring in two really talented young players, so a big tick to the Dogs.
GRADE: B+
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